Judaica On Stamps

But, if we talk about "clear" Judaica issue, then I will show this one, issued by Czech Republic.
I don't understand why Scott catalog list it under name of Czechoslovakia, (Czechoslovakia is now "dead" and non-exist country), so they have it under number 3531, from 2012 year, with 2.40 US$ catalog value for single stamp,
and printing sheet have 35 stamp, where You have some option to collect it with bar code and inscription on tabs.



....and FDC:

Let's continue with this topic, and I see one interesting issue from Belarus, that come to the market in 2013, under title "National Leaders of Israel that come from Belarus"!

It is very clearly "Judaica" topic, as "Judaica" don't have a "frame" just as religion, isn't?

So, it is Scott catalog number 880, showing us five leaders of Israel:

Yitzhak Shamir (1915-2012), Prime Minister,
Chaim Weizman (1874-1952), President,
Shimon Peres (1923-2016), Prime Minister, President,
Zalman Shazar (1889-1974), President,
Menachem Begin (1913-1992), Prime Minister.

This issue come in sheetlet of 5 + label, and have one "nice" catalog value of 11.00 US$, in mnh condition.

Design, in principle, is fine, but this color combination, as I see it, go somehow, say, not so "attractive".

I prefer the definition of Judaica as:
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/judaica:
things pertaining to Jewish life and customs, especially when of a historical, literary, or artistic nature, as books or ritual objects.

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/d...lish/judaica
1. the literature, customs, culture, etc., of the Jews
2. books or artefacts of Jewish interest...

Neither of these include individuals or historic events.

Here are some Judaica stamps relating to observing the Sabbath:

1. Denmark 1984: Stamp issued to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Danish Jewish community.
Mother lighting Sabbath candles at home, at sundown on Friday afternoon:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabb...e%20woman%22.

The lights don't have to be candles; oil lamps are commonly used. Here's a selection of both:
2. Israel 1966: from set of Festival stamps.

3. Israel 1980: set of Festival stamps.
These are in accordance with the tradition of having hanging lamps (especially common before electric lighting!):
There are always a minimum of two lamps. This is one of the two, a 19th cent. lamp as used in Morocco:

A common variation was a lamp with seven wicks, as in these 18th. cent. lamps from Germany and the Netherlands:

There were also wall sconces, such as this 19th cent. Polish example [Hungary 1984. From set of Jewish ceremonial objects]:

The lights are lit before the Sabbath starts. In the Danish stamp above, they are lit on the table where the meal will take place.
Before the meal a ritual cup of wine is poured, and the appropriate blessing made. This is the kiddush: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiddush
4. Israel 1966: set of Festival stamps.
A stylized Kiddush cup:

5. Hungary 1984. From set of Jewish ceremonial objects.
This 19th cent. Russian beaker could well have been used as a Kiddush cup:


The other essential of the Shabbat meals are the two loaves of bread (hallah). They are covered during the Kiddush, as shown in that same Danish stamp above: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challah_cover
6. Israel 1977: a cloth to cover the bread, or maybe just to decorate the table.


The end of Sabbath is marked by the Havdalah ceremony at nightfall on Saturday evening: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havdalah
For this ceremony three items are involved: wine, spices and fire.
7. Israel 1966: set of Festival stamps.
A stylized spice box:

In the previous post, the emphasis was on Judaica in the home, with several illustrations of Sabbath (Shabbat) candles and oil lamps.
These are also significant in the synagogue, although almost universally replaced by electric lights today.
The most significant light is the Ner Tamid ("everlasting light"): https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/ner-tamid and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_lamp# In_Jewish_tradition
This and other hanging lights can be seen in this Indian stamp, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the Paradesi Synagogue in Cochin, India:

The stamp doesn't do justice to the number of hanging oil lamps that are still to be seen:


Israel High Holidays issue 1966. A stylized synagogue hanging lamp:


A similar hanging "Sanctuary Lamp" can be distinguished in the Barbadian stamp below, celebrating the 2007 reopening of the Nidhe Yisrael synagogue:


There are two points of interest in this Belgian stamp, celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the main Brussels Synagogue (1978).

The "Sanctuary Lamp"/Ner Tamid is prominently displayed (see the detail), and below it is a fan-shaped 8-branched candelabrum. In my next post I plan to relate to the two forms of Jewish candelabra: the 7-branched one which was in the Temple, and the 8-branched Hannukah version (which sometimes appears to have 9 branches,as one candle is used as a "servant" to light the others). However this one does not fit the criteria for either; can it be regarded as "Judaica" in that case?

In my last post I referred to different types of candelabra.
A reproduction of the original 7-branched Temple menorah is one of the 1985 Israel Festival set:


This is also the official emblem of the State of Israel, and as such has been reproduced on several stamps (for an excellent article on the choice of the emblem, see the Jewish Virtual Library):

Israel definitive issue 2003:

The tab shows a panel from the Arch of Titus in Rome

Israel Independence Day 1955 and 12 Tribes issue 1952:


The Temple Menorah was used to decorate synagogues as early as the 2nd Cent. C.E., as reproduced on this 1966 stamp:


There is an opinion that the foot of the menorah was a tripod, not the form used on the emblem of the State of Israel (above). This alternative form was used for the 1958 10th Anniversary Independence Day issue:

It was also used for the tab and the FDC of the 1957 Defence issue:


This is the form of menorah crowning the Peki'in synagogue on the stamp issued in 2014:

At the end of a previous post I referred to the Havdalah ceremony marking the end of the Sabbath, in which three items are involved: wine, spices and fire.
Only one stamp was shown, of a stylized spice-box.
I should have included these three examples of spice-boxes, from the 1990 Festivals issue: .

They show 19th C. containers from Austro-Hungary and Italy and a German 18th C. example.

Kahal Kadosh Yevanim (Holy Greek community) Synagogue, Trikala, Greece issued by Greece on April 18, 2024.

quigngt:

"...USPS has issued Hanukkahs stamps since 1996. The first design was Scott #3118, which was issued through 2003. From 2004 through 2008 the design of a Dreidel was used. The third was design was used in 2009 and 2010. A new forth design is issued for 2011..."

...I will just show this one on really PU cover - nice from sender!

Let's continue with "Judaica" Topic, as someone mentioned, preferable not "persons" as it didn't fit to topic perfectly - here we have one issue from Croatia, again on really PU condition - nice sample, especially today, that we see no cancel device using frequently.

Cover come from ZAGREB, Croatia - with special cancel for 200 years of Jewish Community in Zagreb. Stamp was issued on Sept. 15, 2006, and because this FDC was used on Dec. 23, 2006, additional postage was need, and sender just used "Christmas" issue from Croatia issued same year.
Nice combination of stamps, which are listed in Michel catalog under number 785 ("Judaica") and 790 ("Christmas").

This topic was opened, 12 years ago, with a link to some of the USA Hannukah stamps.

Having covered Sabbath lights in the home , the Eternal light in the synagogue and the Temple Menorah , I'm returning to Hanukkah lights.
There is considerable flexibility as to the way in which they are lit. A poor person could fulfil the commandment by lighting a single oil lamp or candle for every one of the eight nights. She or he doesn't have to have a candelabrum at all, they can stick the candle on the windowsill or improvise using a potato:


In practice, there is a wide variety of hanukkah menorot , as illustrated in these stamps:

Israel 1972:

The tabs give details as to the materials used and the period of manufacture.

Israel 1994:
This one is made from metal intended for sardine cans in Mazagan, Morocco. Next to it is a photo of the original, in the Israel Museum:

This is a modern one, made by carving stone:


Israel 1993:
Here's a detail showing the actual lighting of a very large Italian hannukah menorah from the end of the 15th century.

The design is based on this vignette from the Rothschild Miscellany :