Memenorah

Soccer Dad tagged me with the Menorah Meme. Following his example, I'll also talk about four different menorahs: mine and my three kids'.

The one on the far left is mine. It was originally a bar mitzvah gift - rather appropriate since my bar mitzvah fell on Chanukah, back a mere 32 years ago. This year is thus the 33rd time I've used this menorah. Every Chanukah I tell myself that this time I'm going to switch to an oil menorah, but somehow every year I find it hard to part with the menorah I've used for so long. I've let go of so many remnants of my youth; is it wrong to hold on to just a few?

The next one over is Shayna's. She won it in a raffle at her school's mother-daughter luncheon four years ago, and has used it ever since.

The one emblazoned with "Shalom" in Hebrew and English is - surprise! - Shalom's. It was his Chanukah present from his uncle, Debbie's brother, in 1995, the year Shayna was born. It's the only menorah he's ever used, but seems a bit small now for such a big kid. Shalom's a lot like his old man when it comes to finding change difficult. Maybe we'll help encourage one another to trade upwards next year.

Finally, the one on the far right is Ben's. No special story here; he just picked it out of several others we have in our cabinet. He's used a variety of others over the years.

Since Chanukah is almost over, I won't tag anyone else specifically. But if any of my fellow-Jbloggers would like to get this meme in at the 11th hour (well 7th day anyway), consider yourself tagged.