Jewish Museum Loans Historic Hanukkah Lamp to White House for Third Year

The Jewish Museum has provided a Hanukkah lamp from its collection to the White House for display during the holiday season, marking the third consecutive year of this arrangement. The artifact is positioned at the entrance to the Vice President's ceremonial office. Created in 1935 by Josef Haller in Vienna, Austria, this silver lamp features modernist geometric designs while referencing ancient menorah forms, with a prominent Star of David. The loan commemorates the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the 1938 attacks on Jewish communities in Germany and Austria. The lamp originated from Vienna's Kahilath Jakob synagogue, one of few Jewish houses of worship in the city to survive World War II. The Jewish Museum maintains the world's largest collection of Hanukkah lamps, with nearly 1,050 pieces accumulated over its 119-year history.