5 Favorite Menorahs for a Handmade Hanukkah 2020

In 2020, “home for the holidays” stopped sounding like a cozy suggestion and became a rather firm ie classrooms, and every flat surface was asked to perform at least three jobs. Against that backdrop, a handmade Hanukkah menorah offered something especially meaningful: an object shaped slowly, lit deliberately, and gathered around night after night.

The best handmade menorahs do more than hold candles. They preserve evidence of the artist’s handsthe faint irregularity of a rim, a surprising glaze mark, or a row of candle cups that refuses to behave like it came from a factory. Those details make each piece feel alive. They also make the inevitable wax drips look less like a housekeeping failure and more like part of the menorah’s ongoing biography.

This retrospective guide revisits five memorable ceramic menorahs highlighted during the 2020 holiday season: the Rachel Pots Ceramic Menorah, JST B. Zippy Menorah, MQuan Constellations Menorah, Virginia Sin Stacke Menorah, and JST x ANK Ceramics Menorah. Their original listed prices ranged from $110 to $345, reflecting different approaches to materials, construction, and studio production. Handmade Menorah Matters

Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights, with another light added each evening. A Hanukkah lamp, often called a hanukkiah, has eight primary lights and a ninth helper light known as the shamash. The shamash is positioned apart from the others, commonly higher, lower, or off to one side. Traditional guidance also calls for the eight principal lights to appear in an even row or recognizable sequence. tructure gives artists plenty of room for interpretation without losing the menorah’s ritual purpose. A maker may arrange the cups in a strict line, build them into a sculptural arch, or create separate modules that can be rearranged. The result can be minimalist, rustic, architectural, playful, or delightfully strangeas long as it remains stable, nonflammable, and suitable for the chosen candles or oil cups.

A handmade menorah also becomes part of family history unusually quickly. Use it for one holiday, and it is a new purchase. Use it for several years, and suddenly everyone remembers which child chose the purple candles, who dropped wax on the tablecloth, and why the shamash leans slightly to the left. Heirlooms are often just ordinary objects that successfully survive enough stories.

1. Rachel Pots Ceramic Menorah: A Row of Tiny Vessels

Brooklyn ceramic artist Rachel Pots created a menorah by connecting nine individually formed bottle-like vessels. In the original 2020 selection, the piece was listed at $160 and made to order through the artist’s studio. Its construction referenced the vessel of oil at the center of the traditional Hanukkah story, turning the menorah into a small ceramic procession of containers. his Design Stands Out

Many menorahs begin with a horizontal bar and add candle cups. This one starts with vessels. That shift gives the piece a softer, more domestic personality, as though nine miniature vases gathered for a candlelit dinner and somehow became the centerpiece.

The hand-thrown forms are related without being identical. Slight differences in height, contour, and spacing make the design visually active even before the candles are added. It is especially appealing in homes filled with handmade dishes, linen napkins, wooden serving boards, and other materials that improve when they are not absolutely perfect.

Best Setting

Place this menorah on a simple stone, wood, or matte ceramic surface where its silhouette can be clearly seen. Solid-color candles help preserve the focus on the sculptural vessels, while multicolored tapers create a more cheerful, informal display. Either approach works; the menorah is not the type to become emotionally overwhelmed by a rainbow.

2. JST B. Zippy Menorah: Modular and Playful

The JST B. Zippy Menorah, made by artist Bari Ziperstein for Judaica Standard Time, was listed at $200 in the 2020 roundup. Rather than locking the candle holders into one permanent configuration, the modular stoneware design allowed the components to be organized in a row, compact grouping, or other arrangement. orah That Encourages Participation

Most ritual objects politely request that you do not rearrange their anatomy. This menorah takes the opposite approach. Its modular construction invites the household to participate in the setup, making preparation part of the celebration.

That flexibility is particularly useful in small homes. The pieces can stretch across a console, form a tighter composition on a dining table, or adapt to a shallow windowsill. The arrangement may change from year to yearor from night to night, depending on how many amateur art directors live in the house.

When arranging any modular menorah for lighting, however, visual creativity should not compromise stability or the recognizable order of the lights. Each holder should sit firmly on a level, heat-resistant surface, with enough room between flames to prevent candles from heating one another excessively.

Best Setting

This design suits modern interiors, open shelving, and homes where objects are regularly moved to create new displays. It also works well for families who want children to help prepare the menorah without asking them to handle matches, flames, or hot wax.

3. MQuan Constellations Menorah: Symbolism Written in Clay

Michele Quan’s Constellations Menorah was the most expensive piece in the 2020 group, originally listed at $345. Its ceramic surface carried the artist’s recognizable celestial marks and geometric imagery, giving the menorah the presence of both a functional Judaica object and a small work of art. he Celestial Motif Works

Stars and constellations are natural companions to Hanukkah. The candles are traditionally kindled in the evening, and many families place the menorah near a window to publicize the miracle. The lights therefore exist in conversation with the winter darkness outsidenot to erase it, but to answer it.

The constellation markings deepen that relationship. Even when the candles are unlit, the menorah suggests night skies, navigation, continuity, and human attempts to find order in an enormous universe. That sounds very profound, but it also looks excellent next to a bowl of latkes.

The hand-drawn symbols prevent the substantial ceramic form from feeling heavy. They give the eye places to travel, rewarding close viewing in daylight while becoming quieter once the flames take over.

Best Setting

This is the statement piece of the group. Give it space rather than surrounding it with excessive decorations. A neutral background, simple runner, or uncluttered windowsill allows its surface imagery to remain visible. During the rest of the year, it can be displayed as ceramic sculpture rather than packed away with seasonal decorations.

4. Virginia Sin Stacke Menorah: Soft Brutalism

Virginia Sin described the Stacke Menorah as sleek and brutalist. The 2020 version was listed at $110 and offered in a speckled finish or black. Its stacked geometric construction delivered architectural drama without relying on ornate branches or traditional blue-and-silver decoration. alism With a Sense of Humor

“Brutalist menorah” may sound like something that should require a building permit, but the Stacke design makes the idea surprisingly approachable. Its bold volumes and restrained palette feel modern, yet the handmade ceramic finish keeps the object from becoming cold or severe.

This balance is difficult to achieve. Perfectly machined minimalism can look impressive but anonymous. Hand-built minimalism has fingerprintssometimes literally. The slight variations in ceramic texture give the form warmth and remind the viewer that someone shaped, finished, glazed, and fired it.

Best Setting

The speckled version complements pale wood, cream-colored textiles, and relaxed Scandinavian-inspired rooms. The black finish creates stronger contrast and pairs beautifully with brass accents, dark stone, or brightly colored candles. It is also an excellent choice for anyone whose holiday decorating philosophy is “festive, but please do not make my living room look like a gift-wrap aisle.”

5. JST x ANK Ceramics Menorah: Quiet, Compact Craftsmanship

The JST x ANK Ceramics Menorah was a collaboration between Judaica Standard Time and ANK Ceramics of Camden, Maine. It was listed at $180 in 2020 and offered in two glazes: a lighter Sparrow finish and the darker Squid Ink. ollaboration Makes the Piece Interesting

Good contemporary Judaica often succeeds because designers understand ritual needs while craftspeople understand material behavior. Clay shrinks, glazes move, candle openings must be carefully sized, and a beautiful idea still needs to survive eight nights of heat and wax. Collaboration brings those priorities together.

The resulting menorah has a restrained shape that makes the glaze especially important. Sparrow emphasizes softness, texture, and natural variation. Squid Ink creates a moodier silhouette and allows pale or colorful candles to stand out dramatically.

Its compact form is another strength. Not every household has a mantel, sideboard, ceremonial niche, or spare acre of countertop. A smaller menorah can still feel substantial when its proportions are thoughtful and its materials have visual depth.

Best Setting

Use this design on a compact dining table, bookshelf display, or windowsill with a heat-resistant tray underneath. It works especially well in apartments and multipurpose rooms because it reads as sculpture rather than bulky seasonal décor.

How to Choose a Handmade Hanukkah Menorah

Confirm That It Is Functional

A decorative object shaped like a menorah is not necessarily intended for real flames. Before lighting, verify that the maker designed it for candles or oil and used nonflammable materials. Check that every cup securely holds the intended candle diameter and that the base does not rock.

The eight primary lights should be clearly distinguishable, with the shamash visibly set apart. A full holiday requires 44 candles per menorah when the shamash is counted each night, so buying an extra box is not overplanningit is refusing to discover a candle shortage at the least convenient possible moment. der the Cleanup

Ceramic menorahs are generally easy to maintain, but wax behaves like a houseguest who has missed several social cues. It settles into openings, attaches itself to glaze, and sometimes reaches surfaces you did not know were nearby.

Let the menorah cool completely before cleaning it. Avoid scraping glazed ceramic with sharp metal tools. Candle drip cups or a removable heat-resistant tray can reduce buildup and protect furniture. Cleaning guidance for menorahs commonly emphasizes matching the method to the material, since treatments appropriate for metal may not suit painted, ceramic, or delicate handmade finishes. e Character Over Perfection

Small differences are part of handmade production. One cup may be slightly rounder, the glaze may break differently over an edge, or the row may have a gentle visual rhythm rather than laser-guided uniformity. Those qualities are not defects unless they affect safety or function.

Ask yourself whether you would still enjoy the menorah when it is not lit. A strong handmade design should contribute shape, color, and meaning during daylight, too. The flames are the grand performance, but the object has to handle the matinee.

Lighting and Display Safety

Real candles require an adult’s full attention. Place the menorah on a stable, nonflammable or heat-resistant surface, away from curtains, paper decorations, dried plants, books, and anything else that could burn. Keep it beyond the reach of children and pets, and never leave the room while the candles are burning.

The National Fire Protection Association advises keeping lit candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, supervising candles carefully, and extinguishing them before leaving a room or going to bed. Holiday decoration fires are frequently associated with candles or items positioned too close to heat sources. ional practices vary regarding the preferred lighting time, but common guidance places it around sunset or nightfall and calls for enough candle or oil fuel to continue burning for at least 30 minutes after nightfall. Friday-night timing requires special attention because the Hanukkah lights are kindled before Shabbat candles. xperience of Celebrating With a Handmade Menorah

A handmade menorah changes the mood before the first candle is even lit. Taking it from a cabinet feels different from opening a box of temporary decorations. You notice its weight, the texture of the clay, and the places where the glaze became darker in the kiln. Someone usually asks who made it. Someone else asks when it was purchased. Before long, the menorah has started a conversation without doing anything more demanding than sitting on the table.

Preparing the candles becomes a small nightly ritual of its own. The first evening feels spare: one holiday candle and the shamash surrounded by empty holders. By the fourth or fifth night, the menorah has more visual momentum. By the eighth, the room changes when all the flames are lit. The progression is one reason a sculptural menorah works so wellthe object seems to reveal itself gradually rather than delivering its full effect immediately.

Handmade pieces also make ordinary imperfections feel welcome. A candle leans. Wax runs down the side. The glaze is not symmetrical. A child selects two colors that have no business being next to each other, then proudly explains that they are “a theme.” Instead of making the display feel ruined, those moments reinforce the sense that the celebration belongs to the household rather than to a catalog photograph.

The strongest memory may be the contrast between the solid ceramic and the moving flames. Clay is earthy, heavy, and permanent; candlelight is temporary and impossible to hold still. Together they create a centerpiece that feels grounded and alive. The menorah does not need additional glitter, flashing lights, or a tiny Bluetooth speaker hidden underneath it. The combination of material, darkness, and flame is already doing plenty.

Over several years, the experience becomes cumulative. The menorah may move from an apartment windowsill to a larger dining room, or from a couple’s quiet celebration to a crowded table with children. Wax is cleaned away, but traces sometimes remain in seams and candle cups. Those traces can be annoying during cleanup, yet they also record use. A pristine menorah is beautiful; a carefully maintained menorah that has clearly been lit many times has something elsehistory.

That is the real appeal of these five 2020 favorites. Their shapes are fashionable enough to interest design-minded shoppers, but their purpose extends beyond a particular season or decorating trend. Each one was made to participate in repeated action: arranging, blessing, lighting, watching, extinguishing, and beginning again the next night. Handmade design turns those actions into a relationship with an object, and repetition turns the object into part of the family.

Conclusion: Handmade Light Has Lasting Value

The five favorite handmade menorahs of 2020 demonstrate how much variety can exist within one ritual form. Rachel Pots transformed oil vessels into a connected ceramic composition. Bari Ziperstein made the menorah modular. Michele Quan covered hers in celestial symbolism. Virginia Sin gave brutalism a warm ceramic personality. ANK Ceramics and Judaica Standard Time created a compact collaboration driven by form and glaze.

The best choice depends on the household. Some families will love an adaptable menorah that can be rearranged. Others will want a symbolic work of art that remains on display all year. The essential qualities are simpler: the piece should be functional, stable, safely constructed, and meaningful to the people gathering around it.

A handmade menorah will not make the latkes crispier or prevent anyone from arguing about the correct dreidel rules. It can, however, create a steady center for eight winter evenings. In a year remembered for uncertainty and separation, that small circle of light carried unusual weightand the craftsmanship behind it made the ritual feel even more personal.

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Note: Product names, finishes, and prices are discussed as part of the original 2020 design roundup. Current availability and pricing may differ.