Compact Hanukiah-Yair Emanuel

What does the Hanukkah (9-branched Jewish candlestick) symbolize?

The holiday of Hanukkah commemorates the successful rebellion of a clan of Jewish freedom fighters called the Maccabees in the 2nd century BC. These warriors rose up against Antiochus, a Greco-Syrian monarch who ruled Israel with a harsh hand, forbidding Jews from practicing their faith and forcing them to convert to a Hellenic way of life (it is said that his soldiers would even force-feed Jewish pork, a non-kosher). Despite their numerical inferiority, the Maccabees succeeded in retaking the sacred Temple, the primary site of ancient Judaism, from their oppressors. Hanukkah translates to « dedication » in Hebrew – the holiday honors the dedication of a group of Jews who believed strongly in their right to religious and nationalistic freedom.

Today, hanukiahs are available in a wide range of shapes, styles, sizes and materials. You will find them in silver, metal, glass, wood… All made by Israeli artists from Jerusalem, specialized in Judaica art.