Among the many symbols associated with Jewish identity, it is of course the Star of David that has become the dominant motif. When Israel was founded in 1948 and its subsequent placement on the flag locked in this status permanently. The star however, although may feel ancient, in fact only came to prominence relatively recently.
While medieval Jewish mysticism began to give it emblematic significance, it was not until the Jewish community of Prague in the 14th century adopted it on its flag that it started to gain traction.
The symbol however that truly captures the depth, purpose and continuity of Judaism is surely the menorah. Far more than any ancient ritual object, it represents a visual theology: a symbol of light, wisdom, endurance and mission that has accompanied the Jewish people from biblical times to the present day.
The menorah’s authority begins in the Torah itself. The portion from Exodus of Terumah, which is read this week, instructs Moses to “make a menorah of pure gold” (Exodus 25:31). Unlike later cultural images, the menorah is explicitly designed by divine command. The emphasis that it be crafted from a single piece of gold was understood as symbolising spiritual integrity – unity emerging from complexity.
The menorah was not only a central sacred object in the Tabernacle but later in the Jerusalem Temple too, symbolising God’s abiding presence among Israel. Placed in the inner sanctum and kept perpetually lit, it represented spiritual illumination. The daily lighting by the priests indicated the ongoing covenantal relationship and faithful service.
The prophet Zechariah offers a powerful vision of a golden menorah, signifying divine support for the Temple’s rebuilding following the Babylonian exile. In this vision, the angels declare, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). Here, the menorah stands for spiritual resilience and divine empowerment rather than political or military strength.
The menorah’s fate after the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE is famously depicted on the Arch of Titus in Rome, which displays Roman soldiers carrying the Temple menorah in triumph. This image carved in stone, underscores its importance as a symbol of Jewish dominion. Even in defeat and exile, it came to represent continuity and hope for restoration.
In modern times, the menorah has taken on national significance. The emblem of the State of Israel, adopted in 1948, features a stylised seven-branched menorah flanked by olive branches. The design draws inspiration from the Arch of Titus relief, reclaiming a symbol of exile as one of renewed sovereignty.
The menorah’s seven branches have been interpreted in various symbolic ways. The number seven holds deep value in Jewish tradition, representing completeness and sanctity. Creation unfolds over seven days; the seventh day, Shabbat, is of course a day of rest and holiness. Thus the seven lamps can be understood as reflecting cosmic order and sacred time.
Philo of Alexandria, the hellenistic Jewish philosopher of the first. century CE, associated the seven branches with the seven classical planets known in antiquity, suggesting that the menorah symbolised the harmony of the cosmos under divine governance.
In kabbalistic tradition, the menorah is understood as a profound symbol of divine emanation and spiritual structure. Its seven branches correspond to the seven lower sefirot (divine emanations) – chesed (lovingkindness), gevurah (strength), tiferet (beauty), netzach (endurance), hod (humility), yesod (foundation) and malchut (sovereignty) – through which divine energy flows into the world.
The central shaft portrays balance and unity, harmonising these attributes. The menorah’s light depicts the transmission of divine wisdom (or elyon, supernal light) into human consciousness.
The menorah also has a deep personal significance for my family. Some years ago, as co-founders of the Jewish community in the UAE, together with a number of other families, each Chanukah, we would venture into the desert to light an enormous nine-branched menorah. We would sing the song with the words normally reserved only for reciting in Israel: nes gadol haya po “a great miracle happened here” for we considered our own pioneering establishment of a community in this Arab land something remarkable.
Returning last year to the country’s capital, Abu Dhabi, to celebrate our son Jonah’s barmitzvah, we arrived at the Abrahamic Family House’s Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue, to discover the distinctive symbolic image of a menorah prominently displayed on its exterior.
To publicly practise as a Jew when we were living in the region a little more than a decade ago was but a dream. To come back a few years later and be truly open about our identity was quite astounding to us and seeing the permanent distinguished depiction of the menorah against the backdrop of the Abu Dhabi skyline was heartwarming indeed.
Beyond its historical and national dimensions, the menorah continues to inspire spiritual reflection. It represents the human calling, in those powerful words, of the prophet Isaiah, to be a “light unto the nations” and spread the message of ethical monotheism and justice. In a world so often marked by darkness and conflict, the menorah stands as a symbol of hope and remains a beacon of divine presence, unity and resilience.
Simon Eder hosts the Jewish Quest podcast of the Louis Jacobs Foundation
Image: A replica of the golden Temple menorah on display in the Old City of Jerusalem (photo: Getty Images)
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