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New York - The Story Behind The Most Widely Used Menroahs, The Tin Metal |
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News Source: NY Times By JENNIFER MEDINA
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New York - The sight of tin menorahs is certainly familiar to anyone who has lived here long enough – or, for that matter, anywhere else where outreach workers of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement can be found.
Chabad focuses on persuading Jews to perform more mitzvahs – the menorah lighting campaign that stretches back to 1973, when the Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, decided to pass out some 60,000 menorahs that were made in a matter of days.
The rebbe’s representatives found Tibor Kuferstein, who owned a metal factory in Gowanus, Brooklyn, that produced supplies for military contracts. Mr. Kuferstein was tasked with coming up with something inexpensive, light and easy to distribute.
“They asked me if I understood what to do, and I said, ‘Yes, I would take a piece of this, and a piece of that, and make something very good for them’,” Mr. Kuferstein, a émigré from Budapest who is 82 and lives in Flatbush. “The first one I made was too sharp, so made it softer.”
Mr. Kuferstein said that while he was not a member of Chabad, he is very religious and found biblical significance in the fact his factory produced materials for both war and religious purposes.
“The Bible says there is going to be a day when the guns will be made into plowshares, and I thought this was my chance,” he said. “They told me they were going to give it out for free, and I thought this was a very good idea.”
![[Chabad.org/Lubavitch Archives] Rabbi Dovid Raskin watches Tibor Cooperstein in his factory, circa 1973.](http://www.vosizneias.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/tibor.jpg "tibor")
[Chabad.org/Lubavitch Archives] Rabbi Dovid Raskin watches Tibor Cooperstein in his factory, circa 1973.Mr. Kuferstein wasn’t sure how many menorahs he had produced over the years, though he was certain it was in the hundreds of thousands by the time he retired in 1989.
That was just around the same time when Chabad began importing them from China, where they cost just a few cents to make. (They sell at retail stores for about $2, depending on the source.)
Today, roughly 350,000 are distributed around the world, in Russian, Hebrew, French, Spanish and English, said Rabbi Motti Seligson, a spokesman for Chabad.org. Each includes a package of candles and instructions for the blessings.
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Read Comments (9) — Post Yours »
1
Dec 19, 2009 at 07:28 PM Pashuteh Yid Says:
When the candle burns down, the bottom can get very hot. Always used on some heavy metal or fireproof container. Do not leave on wooden shelf.
2
Dec 19, 2009 at 07:27 PM Anonymous Says:
I have had one for years. Use it when I travel. Didn't get it from the Menim.
3
Dec 19, 2009 at 07:49 PM Anonymous Says:
“ I have had one for years. Use it when I travel. Didn't get it from the Menim. ”
is it because you'd rather not be seen doing what other "heimishe yidden" are seen doing in the merchakim as witnessed by shluchim unfortunately... You may not get yours from them but unfortunately some of your own lost children are using them..
4
Dec 19, 2009 at 08:08 PM Anonymous Says:
I gave out about 200 menorahs alone, I was amazed how many Jews didn't have menorahs
5
Dec 19, 2009 at 08:12 PM Anonymous Says:
“ I have had one for years. Use it when I travel. Didn't get it from the Menim. ”
Just to see how great the work of CHabad is check out this comment that was on this New York Times article - "The outreach works. I’ve been lighting my menorah each Hanukkah since they handed me one on the street over a decade ago.
— Bruce Cohen" Yasher Koach Chabad!
6
Dec 19, 2009 at 08:34 PM Anonymous Says:
#2, you obviously travel quite often, are you "yilbash shchoirim" or are you a 'az ponim' like your friends!
7
Dec 19, 2009 at 09:27 PM It's been around a long time Says:
Sorry, but story may be cute, but the tin menorah has been around much longer.
I recall seeing plenty of them around in the 1950's and they weren't considered a new item then.
8
Dec 20, 2009 at 11:55 AM Anonymous Says:
Very nice story. It is so incrediable how the Rebbe loved and cared for every Jew that even today you see young boys distributing them to every jew to give them an opportunity to do a mitzvah and ignite the Jewish spark and iyh leads to doing many more mitzvohs!
Amazed continue your great work boys and girls of Chabad it is you that keeps that brings light to every corner of the world.
9
Dec 20, 2009 at 10:18 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Sorry, but story may be cute, but the tin menorah has been around much longer.
I recall seeing plenty of them around in the 1950's and they weren't considered a new item then.
”
WOW and to think that this sight is just read by youngsters - you must be 60-70 yrs old now if you remember seeing them about 60 yrs ago