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This stamp commemorates Hanukkah, a widely celebrated festival in the Jewish calendar. One of Canada Post's annual holiday issues and the sixth stamp in the Hanukkah series, it was designed by Hélène L’Heureux and illustrated by Stephanie Carter. It features a hanukkiyah (eight-branched menorah) surrounded by other symbols associated with the festival.
Canada Post's holiday stamp issues celebrate events significant to Canada's diverse population, including Eid, Christmas, Diwali and Hanukkah. The Hanukkah stamp marks the Jewish Festival of Lights, which this year takes place from nightfall December 7 to nightfall December 15. This release is Canada Post's sixth Hanukkah stamp – the others were issued in 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The lighting of a hanukkiyah (eight-branched menorah) is a central element of Hanukkah celebrations. It is also one of several holiday traditions that pay homage to the miracle of the oil, which happened in 165 BCE, after the Jews reclaimed their homeland and rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem.
It is said that the Temple menorah burned for eight days on a single day’s worth of olive oil. As a result, fried foods – such as latkes and jelly doughnuts – are strongly associated with Hanukkah, while olives, olive branches and cruses of oil are sometimes used to symbolize the story behind the festival.
The dreidel – a spinning top that children play with during the holiday – also has a special connection. The Hebrew letters on the four sides of the dreidel stand for the phrase Nes gadol haya sham, which means, “A great miracle happened there.”
This year, the Festival of Lights, as Hanukkah is also known, takes place from nightfall December 7 to nightfall December 15.
Designed by Hélène L’Heureux and illustrated by Stephanie Carter, the Hanukkah stamp features an illustration of a hanukkiyah (Hanukkah menorah) with eight white candles and a central helper candle burning a warm-toned flame.
The hanukkiyah is surrounded by images of a white dove, colourful flowers and various other elements associated with Hanukkah celebrations, including a dreidel, a gift and a jelly doughnut.
Also pictured are an oil cruse, olives and olive branches, all of which are sometimes used to symbolize the miracle of the oil at the heart of the story behind the festival. A bright teal colour fills the background.