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MONTRÉAL -  Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of Kislev, the third month of the Jewish calendar year, and lasts for eight days. In 2019, the festival occurs from nightfall on December 22 until nightfall on December 30. Canada Post is issuing this stamp today, well in advance of the celebration, so that Canadians can make their Hanukkah cards and other mail more festive.

Designed by Lionel Gadoury of Context Creative, this stamp – honouring the Jewish Festival of Lights – explores the relationship between light and dark. Combining a stylized menorah with layered patterns and nuanced hues that range from bright yellow to deep purple, the intent is to evoke a sense of reflection and contemplation.

One of the most widely observed Jewish holidays, Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of Judaism’s holiest site, the Temple in Jerusalem, in the second century BCE, after the Jewish people fought and regained their religious freedom. The seven-branched Temple menorah was required to stay lit at all times; however, after the battle, there was enough sanctified oil to last only one day. Miraculously, that small amount burned for the eight days it took to harvest, press and transport a new supply – which is why the kindling of a menorah, adding another light each day, is central to Hanukkah celebrations.

The Hanukkah stamp issue is available in booklets of 10 stamps at Canada Post retail outlets and online at canadapost.ca/shop.

Follow these links for high-resolution images and for additional information in Details magazine.

For more information:
Media Relations
613-734-8888
media@canadapost.ca