'I Wanted to Give Light': The Artist Who Created the Hostage Menorahs, Reveals His Touching Story

Anyone passing by the entrance to the hostages' headquarters in Tel Aviv these days cannot overlook the large and impressive menorah standing there. This is the 'Release Hostages Menorah,' where every evening a family member of a different hostage is honored with lighting the candles. Another menorah, just as special, is lit at the Hostages Square in the Nahal Oz protest headquarters. There, too, a particularly moving candle lighting ceremony takes place every evening.

These menorahs, along with others created in the spirit of the times, are all the creation of the artist Avivi Shifris, who has been creating famous menorahs for decades.

Among others, Shifris has made menorahs for the President of the State, the Hurva Synagogue, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu's synagogue, among others. However, nothing prepared him for the fact that this year he would create the most famous menorahs displayed this year at the activity centers of the hostages' families.

Menorah with a Message

"I am happy that I had the privilege to do something small," Shifris honestly says, "to bring a little light in the days of Chanukah to these people, who struggle every day to bring our brothers and sisters home."

According to him, when he was asked to work on the production of the menorahs, he carefully considered the appropriate design line for them. "It was important for me to convey a message of hope and prayer through the menorah," he explains, "and this is why I chose to create a giant menorah 2.4 meters high that can be seen from afar. I designed the branches like arms and hands raised to the sky in prayer and chose to place the menorah on iron pillars, to provide stability to the structure. In the remaining space in the center, I positioned the symbol of the struggle for the release of the hostages in an enlarged form."

In the design of the menorah, according to him, there are also additional intentions. "If you notice, at the top of the menorah there are jars created by 3D printing, to symbolize what's mentioned in the hymn 'Ma'oz Tzur Yeshuati' where it says 'U'menotar Kankanim, Na'asa Nes LaShoshanim.' This is the miracle we all hope for," he explains. "In the jars, I incorporated a hidden device – a container with a wick inside, which allows the flames to appear as if they are coming out of the jars, protected from the surrounding drafts, creating together a heartwarming event for the families, filling with light and planting hope."

Moving Composition

Additionally, there is also a menorah Shifris created that was placed in the Hostages Square, at the Nahal Oz protest headquarters. "I personally attended the lighting this week and was moved to see the many people who came to take part in the lighting event," Shifris shares. "During the event, participants received blessings on the Chanukah candles along with a special prayer for the return of the hostages, under the slogan 'Lighting until Their Return.' Personally, as someone who returned to religion, it was so moving to see the human fabric - in the heart of Tel Aviv. One cannot ignore a truly amazing process taking place there, of mutual responsibility and clinging to tradition. A process of great national rapprochement. By the way, at the lighting, there was also a resident specifically from the Druze community, who came to the square, to the Nahal Oz headquarters, to express warm support. That was also very moving."

And that's not all, as Shifris produced additional menorahs, smaller ones, with the struggle symbol, as well as a unique menorah – the 'Iron Dome Menorah' constructed from a model of interception missiles. "The design of this menorah includes a large missile in the center of the lamp, with a Star of David decoration in the middle," he shares. "On both sides of the center of the lamp, two 'wings' arms emerge, holding models of the interception missiles, as it is written in the Book of Deuteronomy: 'Like an eagle awakens its nest, hovers over its young...' and commentators say it is a parable, that just as the eagle spreads its wings to protect its young from arrows, so there will be protection for the people of Israel from their enemies, and this is exactly the meaning of the Iron Dome endeavor."

In addition to all these, Shifris also exhibited at the square a variety of dreidels with the hostages' symbol, the most prominent of which is a giant dreidel over 30 centimeters high, where when it spins, you can notice the oil jar in the center surrounded by the struggle symbol.

"There was a lot of work on the menorahs," he points out, "but I felt all the time that I was privileged to partake in a special and emotional mitzvah of support and assistance for the redemption of captives, which does not happen at all times. May we soon see all the hostages return home, and join us in lighting the candles on the menorahs."