#5739 - Hanukkah

The art for this stamp spotlights an original wall hanging. The fiber art was hand-dyed, appliquéd and quilted to form an abstract image of a hanukkiah, the nine-branch candelabra used only at Hanukkah. The blue and purple fabrics shown in the stamp depict the sky; the greens and browns represent the earth. The vibrant yellows and oranges represent the Festival of Lights, as Hanukkah is also known. A celebration lasting eight days and eight nights, Hanukkah is one of the most well-known Jewish holidays. The most common tradition involves the lighting of the menorah, a nine-branched candelabrum, but other festivities include the partaking of oil-based foods and the use of the dreidel, which references the miracle of oil. The story tells of the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, in which a quantity of oil used to light the menorah was said to only be enough for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted eight days, during which the Jewish people were able to create more and keep the eternal flame lit. Scott 5739 Hanukkah