How to Make Creative Wire Menorahs

There are many creative options outside of the traditional menorah.

While many menorahs are styled traditionally with eight candles in a line and a ninth in the middle, interesting variations are also common. As long as the menorah has eight candle holders to represent the miraculous eights days that a single day's worth of oil lasted during the dedication of the Temple, with a ninth holder to represent the Shamash for lighting the other candles, you can create a beautiful menorah in almost any configuration. (reference 1, 4) Why not allow your creativity to shine by creating a wire menorah?

Things You'll Need

• 18-foot 20-gauge silver wire
• 3-foot 24-gauge silver wire
• 3-foot 30-gauge copper wire
• Wire clippers
• Wire wrapping jig
• Pliers

Instructions

1. Use heavy wire to create the candle holders and base of the menorah. Cut nine pieces of heavy wire approximately two feet in length. Bend the end of each wire in a curve five inches from the end and use your pliers to create candle-sized springs on the opposite ends for candle holders. Bunch the wires together in the flat center and wrap them tightly with a coil of thin wire. Shape the thick wires in curves and loops with pliers until you are satisfied with the configuration and appearance of the candle holders. The bottom of the curved wires should form a base for the menorah with nine, spring-shaped candle holders at the top.

2. Create decorative elements for the menorah using thin wire and a wire wrapping jig. Wire wrapping jigs can be purchased with removable pegs and a peg board. To use a wire wrapping jig to make intricate wire designs, place pegs in the board in a configuration you like and wrap the wire around the pegs to make wire shapes. (reference 2) You can make your own wire wrapping jig as well. Hammer decorating nails into a flat piece of wood in any configuration to use for wire wrapping. (reference 3)

3. Wrap the thin wire around the jig pegs to create pretty shapes. For example, a flower shape can be made by looping wire in a figure-eight pattern around four pegs in a square configuration. (reference 2) Cut off any excess wire at the end with wire clippers. Attach your wire-wrapped shapes as dangles on the thicker wires that form the candle holders. To attach the wire shapes, coil pieces of thin wire around loops in the wire designs and the thick wire candle holders.

4. Consider using a contrasting wire style to add more decorative elements to the menorah. For example, if you are using silver wire for the menorah, wrap the wires in thin strands of bright copper wire. Try wrapping the entire length of silver wires in evenly spaced coils of copper. Another option is to wrap tight coils of copper at even intervals to create an alternating stripe pattern between the two colors along the wire.

Tips & Warnings

• Never leave your menorah unattended while candles are burning.

References

• Jewish-Art.org, The History of the Menorah
• Fire Mountain Gems, Wire Jig How-To
• JagWear, How to Make Your Own Wire Wrapping Jig
• AskMoses.com, What is the purpose of the Shamash (ninth) candle on my menorah?