Hanukkah Menorah from the Great Synagogue “Tłomackie” Warsaw, Poland, 18th century
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Must Know
This is one of the two Hanukkah menorahs that belonged to the Great Synagogue in Warsaw until the Second World War. The decorative eagle at the top of the menorah is the national symbol of Poland. Jewish ritual objects in Poland often included eagles as as a sign of gratitude and allegiance to the regime.
When Poland was conquered by the Nazis in 1939, the synagogue rabbi and secretary protected the menorahs by burying them in a secret hiding place. The menorahs were offered for sale to raise money for members of the community fleeing from Warsaw. This inspired Countess Marguerite Wenner-Gren of Stockholm to pay a large price for the menorahs. She later donated them to the State of Israel after writing a poem in their honor. The menorahs are currently part of the collection of the heichal Shlomo Museum in Jerusalem.
