Hanukkah Menorahs of Avraham Livnat (Weisz)
By Amir Livnat
Hebrew version below
A Little Bit of Light Dispels a Lot of Darkness (Baal Shem Tov)
Even in this current difficult period, Hanukkah is a unique holiday in our family, due to a special connection to my grandfather, Avraham Livnat, who was born in Győr. For many years, Avraham used to build wooden Hanukkah Menorahs (Hanukkiah’s), in a variety of shapes and designs, with many sources of influence. The story of Avraham and his wife, Marta née Spiegel, will be told separately. For now, towards Hanukkah, we will focus on the Hanukkah Menorahs he created over the years.
Avraham was born in 1915 in Győr as Arnold (Noldi) Weisz. As a teenager, he joined “HaNoar HaZioni” (“Zionist Youth”) youth movement, and gradually began to plan his immigration to the Land of Israel. After graduating from high school in Győr, Avraham sought to acquire a profession that could be beneficial in Israel. He chose carpentry, and enrolled in a professional woodcraft school. This profession will accompany him throughout his life.
At the age of 21, Avraham served in the Hungarian army for two years, as part of mandatory military service. Avraham worked as a carpenter in the army as well. Among other things, he built facilities that were used for training purposes.
Avraham and his wife Marta left Győr in 1941, the same day they got married, and immigrated to Mandatory Palestine: the Land of Israel. In the first years in Israel, Avraham worked as a carpenter for the British army. In 1942, during the time he was stationed at a military base in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, Avraham designed and created his first Hanukkah Menorah, with a tiered structure and a Star of David on top.
In the years following World War II, Avraham continued to work as a carpenter, sometimes as an independent business and at other times as an employee in various factories. During these years he focused on his various working positions, and did not have time to create Menorahs. In 1962 he joined the teaching staff of the “Ort” school, first as a teacher in carpentry course, and later as the head of the course. During this period, he resumed creating many Menorahs: every two years or so he would design a new model.
Avraham created his second Hanukkiah design in 1964. This Hanukkiah consists of a jug of oil next to a trunk of an olive tree. Over the years, Avraham created copies of his Menorahs which served as gifts to family members and friends. This Menorah, being one of the first that he designed, was duplicated with a large number of copies.
Every finalized Hanukkiah was preceded by weeks, months and sometimes even years of thought and planning. Every Hanukkiah began its journey with several drawings and sketches. These were usually copied onto drawing papers or cardboard templates, and from them onto pieces of wood.
We will now focus on some Hanukkah Menorahs that Avraham designed over the years, and examine the sources of inspiration for these models. In 1970 Avraham created a Hanukkiah with the pattern of the Western Wall. This Hanukkiah commemorates the liberation of the Western Wall and the unification of Jerusalem, its planning most likely began closer to the end of the Six-Day War. Another Hanukkiah related to Jerusalem shows a wall with a gate.
Avraham was constantly looking for new ideas for Menorahs. Sometimes he made wooden Menorahs based on existing metal models. An example of this is a decorated Hanukkiah, which was inspired by a metal Menorah that was in his home.
A menorah with rounded pedestals topped with a Star of David was inspired by a newspaper photo, in which former Israeli Prime Minister, Levi Eshkol, is seen holding a similar metal model. Avraham kept the picture of the Prime Minister together with the sketches of this Menorahs.
As already seen, Zionism was part of Avraham’s worldview from a young age. Zionist motifs are also evident in many of his Hanukkah Menorahs. For example, a Hanukkiah inspired by the “Tower and Stockade” early Zionist settlement method. Another model depicts the shape of a Star of David with a pair of lions.
In 1990 Avraham retired, and was now more vacant to create many more Menorahs, usually once a year. He continued to use Zionist motifs, and continued to be influenced by metal designs that he saw or had in his possession.
Over the years, the creation of Hanukkah Menorahs became challenging and complex. After his retirement, Avraham worked mainly in his home. When he had complicated structures to build, he would ask his former students to use tools found in their workshops. In addition, he had to have a supply of wood: sometimes he would use and recycle old wooden products he found on the street. Throughout the years, Avraham continued prepare Menorahs, and other wooden objects, as gifts to relatives, friends and acquaintances.
Until his death in 2010, Avraham created about 30 different models of Hanukkah Menorahs. Nowadays, his Menorahs decorate the homes of his children, grandchildren and acquaintances, and preserve his memory. In these dark times for Israel and the entire Jewish world, we may find some comfort by the light that Avraham’s Hanukkah Menorahs continue to spread.
All photos: © Amir Livnat