Winners of the 2021 Menorah Competition

For the third consecutive year, the Department of Industrial Design invited students, faculty, and alumni from all Bezalel departments to participate in the prize-winning Menorah Competition, supported by the Raanan and Nicole Agus Foundation.

Bezalel community was invited to propose new contemporary takes on the menorah, and indeed, we received dozens of proposals for menorahs from a range of perspectives on traditional laws and the essence of the Jewish menorah. What they all had in common was the deconstruction and rethinking of the practice of lighting the menorah on Hannukah.

After a festive lighting of the candles via Zoom, the 2021 winners were announced:

First place Jasmin Sandro Brown and Yigal Tiram , with their menorah “Ness” (“miracle”), which offers a modern interpretation to the traditional menorah based on the oil lamp from the Second Temple period. Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of the oil pot that lasted eight days, and in a similar fashion, this menorah gradually takes shape over the eight days of the holiday, when it finally appears in its complete form as the traditional icon we have known since days of the Temple. Like the miraculous oil pot that lasted eight days, the candles in this menorah are made out of olive waste, or “gefet,” utilizing every last drop of the olive oil making process, by using the by-product of oil mills.

Jasmin and Yigal won a prize of 2,000 NIS.

Second place – Niv Cohen’s (Studio Clos) modular concrete menorah. The menorah consists of three concrete pieces with a pointed bottom that fit into a wooden rail, with the option to switch places of the various elements and change the appearance of the menorah. At the end of Hannukah, the rail and concrete parts are turned upside down to form an elongated decorative shelf element. The design and concept of the menorah came from the desire to focus on the joy of the holiday, a holiday of children and our inner child. With this in mind, the design infuses the menorah with playfulness, combining a joyful color palette with understated maturity.

Niv won a prize of 1,500 NIS.

Third place – Hagi Eren and Mika Loft won with a menorah made of cast aluminum on a slice of olive wood.

Hagi Eren and Mika Loft won a prize of 1,000 NIS.

People’s choice award – the followers of Bezalel Facebook page chose Noa Sade’s “Hannugartal” (“Menorah-vase”). This is a modular menorah that can be assembled in different arrangements, according to the number of candles, while maintaining the ceremonial aspect of the menorah. The fact that most menorahs are not used throughout the year is at odds with today’s reality, when reuse and the smart utilization of material are more important than ever. Accordingly, the menorah can be used all year round – as a vase, by rearranging its elements, with the “shamash” serving as a water receptable and the hollow candle holders housing the flower stems.  

Noa Sade won a prize of 500 NIS.