Hanukkah, the annual holiday that holds special meaning for Jewish people and serves as an enduring reminder of the value of diversity, was honored during a Sept. 19 dedication ceremony for the Postal Service’s latest Hanukkah stamp.
The stamp features an image of a hanukkiah, the nine-branch candelabra used during the holiday and evokes blue and white, the traditional Hanukkah colors.
“This stamp, with its festive Hanukkah candles, warms our hearts and [the candles’] intimate glow rekindles the family bonds that comfort and sustain us throughout the year. It also reminds us — as Americans — that we are joined in our diversity,” said Michael Gordon, the Postal Service’s government liaison director, who spoke at the event.
The ceremony was held at the Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC. Other speakers included Bea Gurwitz, the museum’s executive director; Chris Wolf, the museum’s incoming board chairman; and Antonio Alcalá, who served as the stamp’s art director.
“The museum tells the story of a community that is decidedly local but has a national impact, seeking to inspire all who visit to take action on behalf of their community values and this stamp ceremony fits perfectly with that mission. Thank you to the U.S. Postal Service for creating this impressive stamp,” said Gurwitz.
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrates the reclaiming of the Temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C.
The Temple had been desecrated by a conquering army. Worshippers prepared to rededicate the holy space but discovered that only one small jar of consecrated oil remained, enough to last one day. Rather than wait for more oil to arrive, they lit the Temple menorah, which burned for eight days.
The “miracle of the oil” is celebrated during Hanukkah with the ceremonial lighting of the hanukkiah.
Eight branches hold candles representing each of the eight nights and days of Hanukkah; the ninth — the shamas or “servant” — is used to light the other candles. The hanukkiah, used only at Hanukkah, traditionally is placed at the entrance of the home or in a window to proclaim the miracle publicly.
After the lighting of the candles, some families play games and compete for prizes with four-sided spinning tops called dreidels. They may also sing holiday songs and eat traditional fried foods — such as latkes, which are fried potato pancakes — that commemorate the miracle of the oil.
The Hanukkah festivities begin on the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, a date that falls in late November or, more commonly, in December. In 2024, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Wednesday, Dec. 25, and concludes Thursday, Jan. 2.
Alcalá said he was honored to design the stamp, now available at Post Offices and usps.com.
“The imperfect ink-drawn lines of the artwork are to lend a human presence to the image,” he said. “The flames are shown, but the candles themselves are not present. They’re implied, and to me, that alludes to an aspect of faith that’s both tied to this ceremony and to the larger religious experience.”
