The special menorah we light during Hanukkah, a hanukiyah, holds nine candles–one for each of the eight nights of Hanukkah and a Shamash, a “helper” candle used to light the others. There are a number of beautiful and interesting hanukiyahs on display at the Maltz Museum. Here are four that vary in style and origin:
For example, this hanukiyah was made in the Ukraine around 1850. The tops of Torah scrolls are often decorated with crowns like the one atop of this hanukiyah to represent the royalty of the Torah. The shape of the hanukiyah recalls the bimah. Its style is called Baal Shem Tov after the title given to Israel ben Eliezer (1698-1760) the founder of Hasidism. Jewish art often times features motifs of nature, such as foliage, flowers and animals. Here you’ll notice birds and flowers. This silver hanukiyah uses filigree, made with tiny beads and twisted threads. Repoussé is another technique used to make this, shaping the silver by hammering from the reverse side to create the beautiful patterns. Little pots tell us this lamp was lit with oil, rather than wax candles. (Gift in honor of the birthday of Arthur Friedman by his Blanche 1952)
This hanukiyah was made in Salonika (Thessaloniki), Greece, between the 18th to 19th centuries. It is cast in bronze. Jews had lived in Salonika since about 140 BCE, and Salonika became a center of Sephardic and Judeo-Spanish culture and learning through the 19th century. Like the Ukranian hanukiyah, this one was lit with oil.
This hanukiyah, which hung on a wall, was made in Marrakesh, Morocco, in the early 20th century. It was made out of brass using repoussé, engraving and punching techniques. Before the establishment of Israel, Morocco had the largest Jewish community in the Muslim world. In Morocco, Jews developed a unique culture that mixed Arab, Berber, French and Spanish influences. Moroccan Jews were renowned for their metalworking. The Star of David, which appears three times in this hanukiyah, was a common motif in Moroccan art. This hanukiyah was fueled by olive or other vegetable oil, as are many menorahs from Mediterranean countries. (Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Behrens in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Meyer Reichman 1963.)
This 
silver hanukiyah was made by Leon Diongeli in Turin, the capital of the Piedmont region of Italy, at around 1900. Italian Jewish art featured a strong attention to detail and high technical skills. In Piedmont, unlike the rest of Europe, Jews were not forbidden from becoming silversmiths since the late 18th century. The three arches are typical of Italian decorations. Four Jewish ancestors, including Moses, are standing on the twisted columns. At the center arch a bejeweled door opens to reveal the 10 commandments. The two sides contain the words of the candle lighting blessings. (Hilda W. Krohngold Memorial Fund 1950.)
— Hadas Binyamini, Coordinator, Student Learning & Community Engagement
*Piqued your interest? Check out this short 1951 video of the opening of an exhibit of hanukiyahs from across the world in the Tel Aviv Museum.
