Menorahs Go Green

Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
We don’t want to put a damper on the holiday spirit, but most people are appropriately concerned about the size of their ecological footprint these days. Here are three earth-friendly menorahs that are sure to brighten up Jewish homes this Hanukkah.
Created by British sculptor Richard Miller, the Moving Lights Menorah features a base made of Vermont green slate, with nine movable stone candleholders. Objects handmade of stone and slate are considered earth-friendly, because the natural materials require little processing and minimal energy to manufacture. The Pennsylvania-based artist lives in the state’s Slate Belt. ($85; 877-326-2781, www.eco-artware.com)
Recycled olive oil cans, copper nails, mahogany, wooden beads and brass fittings are put to good use by Jenna Goldberg in her innovative mixed-media menorah). An artist and furniture maker, Goldberg scours antique stores, junk shops and auction houses for many of the materials she uses in her work. The types of cans used on this limited-edition piece will vary. ($600; 877-223-4600, www.guild.com)
Josh Korwin and Alyssa Zukas repurposed PVC pipe to create their handmade “Femenorah.” The piping — which, though put to earth-friendly use, is not exactly the most elegant of materials — is dressed up with authentic Swarovski crystals, which the artists attached to a sparkling effect. ($124; 917-213-5538, www.notschlock.com)
Why I became the Forward’s editor-in-chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
, editor-in-chief