9 modern menorahs you’ll want to display all year long

The Hanukkah menorah generally conjures up an image of a golden candelabra, complete with intricate, detailed carvings reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast’s Lumiere. It’s undoubtedly regal and beautiful, but, for some, a little much alongside modern tableware or a Le Creuset.

In recent years, designers have reimagined the religious lamp used to celebrate Hanukkah, many of them playing with materials such as clay, marble, glass, even plastic. Some of them restructure it entirely. Designer Jonathan Adler, for example, refashioned the whole thing into a ceramic dachshund. These creators aren’t looking to replace the traditional designs of Jewish heritage; rather the goal is to add to Judaism’s rich history of design.

But beware: Not every design constitutes a legitimate menorah. There are rules–designs laws, if you will, that go all the way back to the Bible. A menorah must meet certain requirements to be considered viable for ritual use. Not everyone know this. (Many a retailer learned the hard way.) In fact, Jewish communities refer to legitimates menorahs as “kosher,” which is a term that extends far beyond hot dogs.

The rules

The Book of Exodus goes into great detail about the blueprint, structure, and materials (nearly 100 pounds of pure hammered gold) for the seven-branched menorah used during the time of Moses and in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem. The God of the Bible is very specific: There are to be this many almond petal-style embellishments, that many decorative cups, this precise height of each branch and stem, etc.

The design rules were later ratified by the Jewish sages following the second century B.C. story of Hanukkah, in which a one-day supply of oil was said to miraculously last eight days in the menorah. In the holiday’s honor, Jews now light a menorah with nine branches. That’s two more branches than the ancient Hebrews’ menorah.

According to rabbinic law, a modern menorah can be made of anything, as long as it includes the following: eight separate oil or candle holders (sorry, electric lights) on equal level footing and in a straight line. It’s to be accompanied by a separate branch where the “helper” lighter candle sits on a higher or lower plane, but not equal to the eight. No pure gold necessary.

You’ll oftentimes find styles claiming to be menorahs, but that fail to follow design law. Sometimes the lighter candle is on the exact same level as all the other candles. Others will assemble candles in a curved or nonlinear design. Those are considered illegitimate menorahs–a distinction taken quite seriously by modern rabbis.

But don’t worry, there are plenty that are just as kosher as they are beautiful:

Get lit

Puebla Marble Menorah Set

Clear Menorah

White Glazed Ceramic Menorah

Wood Menorah

Oak Street Menorah

Industrial Chic Menorah

Art Nouveau Menorah

Made of laser-cut stainless steel, this menorah exudes sophistication, albeit with a gothic touch. Artist Valerie Atkisson honed her hand-cut pattern craft to create beautifully understated objects, including this impressive Washington, D.C., skyline menorah.
$328, Modern Tribe

19th-Century Morocco Menorah