Brooklyn, NY – The biography of Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu Safran is long and storied. OU Kosher’s Vice President of Communications and Marketing. Founder and Editor in Chief of Behind the Union Symbol, a highly acclaimed kashrus magazine published by the Orthodox Union. Published author. But perhaps one of the titles that Rabbi Safran wears most proudly is owner of one of the largest private dreidel collections in the world.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The walls and shelves of the Safran’s Borough Park home are lined with dreidels of every size, shape and material. Made out of ceramic, silver, wood, Jerusalem stone, crystal, paper cuts, recycled magazines and more, the collection features an astonishing array of dreidels from all over the world including Israel, the United States, Scotland, India, Spain, Poland, Austria, Russia and Turkey. There are dreidels made by Rosenthal, Azoulay, Gore, Lev Shneiderman, Raphael Carl, Amy Gilron, Stefan Egei, Gregory Ruvinsky, Eli Yashar, Lladro, Waterford, Lenox and Radko. Dreidel candles, besamim boxes, music boxes, a dreidel menorah. A crystal dreidel decanter. A diamond encrusted dreidel that once belonged to a mekubal. Rabbi Safran’s continuously growing collection is nothing short of fascinating.
But for Rabbi Safran, the collection is not just about the dreidels themselves but about their ability to recreate the childhood magic that makes Chanukah the most special of yomim tovim as well as their ability to commemorate the countless miracles that Hakadosh Baruch Hu has bestowed upon Klal Yisroel.
While Rabbi Safran has previously allowed his dreidel collection to be photographed, VIN News is proud to present an exclusive, first ever video tour of this truly impressive display.
Enjoy a twenty minute guided tour as Rabbi Safran opens the doors of his home, proudly sharing his priceless collection with VIN News readers, showcasing not only hundreds of dreidels but also featuring Rabbi Safran’s thoughts on the spirituality and true meaning of this most treasured Chanukah item. Rabbi Safran’s accompanying message is excerpted from “The Dreidle – The Miracle in Our Lives,” found in his most recent book, Meditations at Sixty – One Person, Under G-d, Indivisible, KTAV, 2008. (available from [email protected]
Watch below for the first time ever the exclusive footage of the amazing collection, while Rav Safran gives his insights. Video credit: Shimon Gifter for VIN News. It’s worthwhile to watch despite that it’s 20 min. long.
Mobile users click here to see the video.
Below some photos of the collection. Photo taken Dec. 19 2011 by Shimon Gifter for VIN News.
fantastic beutiful marvelous loved the video
What a great presenter. Great video.
WOWWWWWWWWW stunningly beautiful….
WOW stunningly beautiful and meaningful
very impressive. takes up a lot of space but nicely displayed.
What a collection. Credit is also due to the balabuste who keeps the collection dust free.
The ones from Israel say pay or poe not shom
An extremely fine fellow, author or several books on Jewish thought, and a former principal of an out of town yeshiva. Major baal tzedakah, but very quiet about it.
I daven with him every morning in Boro Park. A gem of a yid!!
Definitely puts a new spin on things. . . .
The funny part is that when I read 1000 dreidles, I thought that someone had set a record for the most number of dreidels spinning at the same time.
Very interesting. I remember reading an article about Rabbi Safran and his collection about a year or two ago. Was it in the Mishpacha?
Chanukah Same’ach to all!
Does he have any rare antiques or one-of-a-kind in his collection? Everything shown on the video is current production that you can find at any Judaica store or Israeli souvenir store.
This collection is truly magnificent! And the most beautiful thing about it is the owner’s love and reverence for Mesorah–and for his wife.