Since we were all so worried about being forced to use Xmas stamps…
On 10/6/06, the US Postal Service finally issued a 39 cent Chanukah stamp:
And in case you were worried, you can also get stamps for Kwanza and Eid as well.
Now that I have your attention: does anyone else think it’s strange that the dreidel here appears to be hand painted with the Old City of Jerusalem? 100 points if someone can identify the artist of this dreidel or at minimum show us where to buy it online. Not because I want it, but it’s just random…nu?
it looks like it could be David Azoulay but thats just a guess.
I think the artist is emmanuel from Jerusalem
Greg Berger designed the background and the dreidel is a picture of an actual one that was purchased in Jerusalem, taken by Elise Moore. The stamp itself was designed by art director Ethel Kessler.
You can order them if you are too lazy to go to the post office at: 1 800 STAMP-24. Now where’s my prezzies?
Goodness,if I could find the stamps in no Jews within 12 miles , Conroe Texas, you can too!
I bought two sheets like 3 weeks ago there.
well i guess maybethat is WHY I COULD find them…I am only one of 5 Jews !
is it emanuel … ???
i am sincerely impressed by the knowledge and experience of our jewschool readers.
No I want to know how long it took the designer to decide how to spell Hanukka…
Now, even.
umm, there have been a number of chanukah stamps previously….although this one is by far the prettiest.
yes but this is the first ever 39 cent stamp!
Maybe it should have been a 36 cent stamp…
Well, I hear it WAS a 40 cent stamp…but FOR YOU, 39 cents!
does anyone still send snail-mail?
I think it is actually faster to attach an envelope to a snail then to send it via the postal service. I work for a giant corporation and there has been an INSANE amount of “lost” mail this past year, not to mention delivery time has gone up to an average of 7-10 days now. Boo for that.
What’s “strange” about a dreidel painted with the Old City — that IS where the story and events of Chanuka took place! (i.e. the part that qualifies as miraculous and led to the founding of the holiday).
you’re right i did think of that — on the one hand, it is absolutely fitting for a dreidel to be painted with the old city of jerusalem, as we know it appearing since Turkish times. and i like that it’s a hand painted artistic one. i just think it’s funny, odd, i guess that it’s so fancy — right — isn’t the origin of dreidel something Jews did to hide that they were engaging in Jewish discourse? also, to the average American Jew (all of the ones who are buying Hanukah stamps to keep up with their friends sending Xmas cards), I don’t think they associate Chanukkah with Jerusalem as much as you may think.
Missyaicha got it. It used to be a 34-cent stamp. http://www.usps.com/communications/news/stamps/2004/sr04_064.pdf
I think the dreidel is by Yair Emanuel.