A new Hanukkah stamp for 2025 showcases a richly decorated brass hanukkiyah from Montréal, capturing the artistry and symbolism of the Festival of Lights in intricate detail.
Issued in time for this year’s celebrations, the design highlights lions, crowns and other traditional motifs drawn from the historic lamp in the Aron Museum’s collection at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom.
Crafted in Western Europe in the early 1900s, the featured hanukkiyah is now one of more than two dozen Hanukkah lamps preserved by the Aron Museum. Photographed by Matthew Liteplo, the object is shown with careful, warm lighting that emphasizes its sculptural form and detailed metalwork.
The stamp, issued on Nov. 13, was designed by Vancouver-based Subplot Design Inc., which framed the hanukkiyah against a soft, uncluttered background so the engraved lions, crown and decorative elements stand out. Printed by Lowe-Martin, the issue appears as a Permanent domestic-rate stamp in a booklet of six, with an Official First Day Cover cancelled in Montréal.
Lions dominate the piece and, by extension, the stamp design. Long regarded as symbols of strength and courage, lions also represent the Tribe of Judah and, more broadly, the Jewish people. Their placement along the hanukkiyah recalls descriptions of King Solomon’s throne flanked by lions, a visual echo of royal and spiritual authority.
Other elements on the lamp connect directly to the Hanukkah story. A crown at the top symbolizes the Torah and the restoration of Jewish kingship after Jewish fighters reclaimed Jerusalem from foreign rule. The menorah motif below the crown references the Temple menorah that, according to tradition, burned for eight days despite there being enough consecrated oil for only one. A Star of David supports the shamash, the helper candle used to light the others.
Hanukkah, observed this year from sundown Dec. 14 to sundown Dec. 22, commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in 165 BCE and the miracle of the oil. Central to the celebration is the nightly lighting of the hanukkiyah, a candelabrum with eight branches for each night of the festival plus the shamash.
The hanukkiyah shown on the stamp was donated to the Aron Museum in 1960 and has since become one of the institution’s signature ceremonial objects. By placing it at the heart of the 2025 Hanukkah issue, the design draws attention not only to the festival itself but also to the role of Canadian Jewish institutions in preserving ritual art and history.
The Hanukkah stamp continues Canada Post’s series of annual issues marking major religious observances celebrated in Canada, including Christmas, Diwali and Eid.
The 2025 Hanukkah stamp and related products are available at canadapost.ca and at postal outlets across the country.