Canada Post issues Hanukkah stamp Nov. 13

By David Hartwig

On Nov. 13 Canada Post issued a permanent-rate (currently $1.24) stamp in recognition of the annual Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

The brass hanukkiah pictured on the stamp design features lions and other items related to Hanukkah. Canada Post said the hanukkiah was crafted in Western Europe in the early 1900s and donated in 1960 to the Aron Museum at Montreal’s Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom, which has more than two dozen hanukkiahs in its collection.

This is the second year in a row Canada Post has featured a hanukkiah candelabrum housed at the Aron Museum in a stamp design. The 2024 Hanukkah stamp (Scott 3471) pictured a hanukkiah believed to have been rescued from a burning synagogue during the widespread anti-Semitic violence conducted by Germany’s Nazi government in November 1938.

In a press release announcing the 2025 issue, Canada Post explained the significance of the lion to the Jewish people. “Long seen as symbols of strength and courage in many cultures,” Canada Post said, “lions also represent the Tribe of Judah and, by extension, the Jewish people. The central lion figures on the hanukkiyah echo the throne of King Solomon, which was said to be flanked by lion statues.”

Between the lions is a crown — which Canada Post said symbolizes the Torah and the return of Jewish kingship to Jerusalem — and a menorah below. The Star of David holds the shamash, a candle used to light the other eight candles of a hanukkiah.

Each of the eight other candles represents one of the nights of Hanukkah. With its nine candles the hanukkiah, often called a Hanukkah menorah, differs from a traditional seven-branched menorah.

Hanukkah, taking place this year from nightfall Dec. 14 to nightfall Dec. 22, celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C., following the successful revolt of the Maccabees against the Seleucid Empire.

The lighting of the menorah during the eight-day celebration commemorates the miracle of a single day’s supply of oil lasting for eight days in the rededicated temple.

The Hanukkah stamp was designed by Subplot Design Inc. using a photograph from Matthew Liteplo. Lowe-Martin printed 330,000 stamps in a quantity of 55,000 booklets of six (product no. 414307111).

A total of 4,500 Hanukkah FDCs (414307131) were produced. The FDCs have a Montreal first-day postmark.

At the time of publication, customers in the United States cannot purchase these or other products from Canada Post due to U.S. Customs changes.

For those outside of the United States, the new Hanukkah stamp and FDC are available from Canada Post at www.canadapost.ca/shop, and by mail order from Canada Post Customer Service, Box 90022, 2701 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J8 Canada; or by telephone from Canada at 800-565-4362, and from other countries at 902-863-6550.

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