My father had been searching for this menorah for 30 years. Tonight, it was lit for the first time in at least that long. This menorah belonged to my great-grandparents, surviving Nazi Germany by being smuggled out and into Belgium with my family from Berlin, where they lived until 1939 and never returned. After the war, they lived in America and Israel. Upon their passings, family items were distributed, and, in some cases, given away (another story!) or misplaced.
As it turns out, this precious silver menorah has been sitting in a closet in Israel for the last 30 years, at my cousin’s house (to make a long story short). Unbeknownst to my cousin in Kfar Saba, it belonged to her grandparents. Only a month ago, my family pieced together the mystery of the long-lost menorah.
The bottom image is the last photo taken of my great-grandparents, with the menorah in the background. The top image shows the menorah, bringing light to Israel as we speak. A true Chanukah miracle for our family!
Source: Hillary Holland
