Gifting has always been a special way of expression. Since time immemorial, gifts have always been a token of love, appreciation, and gratitude. A gift is a perfect way of reducing distances between people or celebrating any occasion.
It is the best way to mark an occasion’s importance and make a memory out of an occasion. A gift always holds a lot of sentimental and emotional value to people – and is cherished forever. It can be the perfect ice-breaker and a memorable way to diffuse all the bitterness and the tensions away.
There can be some unique gifts that can really be a souvenir and a thing one could cherish for a lifetime when it comes to Jewish gift ideas. Here are some of the best Jewish gift ideas that can help you choose the best gifts for your loved ones:
Table of Contents
1. Hamsa
This is one of the most important symbols used in Jewish Culture. Hamsa is the symbol made that resembles the shape of a hand with the five fingers outstretched. This symbol is of an ancient nature that is said to have magical and healing powers that bring about happiness, prosperity and offer all protection from all evil.
The symbol is primarily a hand – the index finger and the third finger are joined together at one side, and the ring finger and the little finger are together on the other side. This makes it in the form of the Hebrew letter known as “shin,” which is in the same position as that of Cohen’s fingers when he was blessing the congregation.
The Hamsa is a versatile symbol that can be worn as a bracelet, a pendant, or even can be hung on the wall. Also, there is a particular way in which this symbol can be used to achieve what you are looking for. If you need some good luck, fortune, or success – the hand can be used with fingers pointing down. The hand pointing down means that God’s blessings will be coming down to the wearer. If you want yourself to be protected from your adversaries – use the hand with fingers pointed up – the “stop” sign – which means protection from evil.
Jews were the first to adopt hamsa as an amulet that they started to use as protection. Jewish often refer to the Hamsa as the blessed hand of Miriam, or in broader terms, it is called the Hand of God.
In numerology – the symbol represents the number 5, for the five fingers, which is a powerful number that symbolizes – power, good fortune, success, luck, and protection. It can be deciphered as the five elements – Earth, Metal, Fire, Wood, and Water in Chinese philosophy.
Gift one of the amazing Hamsa Symbol items such as the Sterling Silver Hamsa Necklace or as the jewelry in the images below.
2. Star of David
The Star of David has become a symbol that has become globally renowned as a symbol of fashion and religion. The Star of David is the star you can obtain by two equilateral triangles – one straight and one inverted across the same median. As a result, what is obtained are six mini triangles on the outside and a hexagon in the middle or on the inside. While some wear it as a symbol of being a Jew or to back the Jews, people usually forget the same spiritual meaning.
The Star of David, also commonly referred to as the “Shield of David,” is primarily the symbol used to express God’s existence. This symbol’s deeper meaning means that God is the protector of the entire universe, offering protection from all six directions: North, North East, North West, South. South East, South West. The hexagon that it forms in the center is said to have importance in terms of spirituality.
For the Jewish, the Star of David symbolizes a shield of protection derived from the shape of the shield used by King David, who had used a shield resembling a star with six-pointed ends. It was a popular belief that all the shields drew power and protection upon David and his army to win all battles.
Currently, the Star of David is the most important symbol used as a Jewish insignia or a Jewish identification seen in their homes, synagogues, and as treasured as sacred jewelry that they wear as necklaces. The Israeli flag also uses this symbol at its center and is also used by the humanitarian aid body known as the – “Magen David Adom.” However, this symbol is not of Jewish origin, as it was only adopted as a Jewish insignia after World War II.
If you wish to delight your Jewish friend with a special gift – the Star of David can be the thing you are looking for – gift it to them, and they will cherish it their whole lives. Gift the Star of David in the form of necklaces for women and chains for men, and you will not regret your gifting choice.
3. Menorah
The importance of the Menorah in the Jewish Culture and tradition has never lost relevance. The menorah’s history dates back to thousands of years and is one of the most ancient symbols of Judaism and the Jewish culture.
The standard Menorah is a candle-holder with seven arms and is a major article of use in all kinds of religious ceremonies all around the year. However, you may see the Menorah with a ninth branch (which called Chanukiyah). It has such a profound influence on the Jewish culture that it is also adapted in Israel’s official emblem.
While the standard seven-armed Menorah is of great importance in the Jewish Culture, the Hanukiah or the Hanukkah Menorah with 9 arms is also pretty common. There are 9 arms – 4 on either side of a central elevated arm which holds the Shamash candle or the Server candle used to light all the other candles. The Hanukkah Menorah is used in celebrating the Hanukkah (one of the Jewish holidays) that is the 25th day of the month of Kislev in the Hebrew Calendar. The candles are placed from right to left and are lit every succeeding night of the Hanukkah from left to right. By the 8th day, all the candles are lit.
The Hanukkah Menorah marks the successful Jewish uprisings against the Antiochus – which Maccabees led. With very little sacred oil, to light the Hanukkah for 1 day – they feared that the oil would burn out – however, the oil miraculously lasted for 8 days, that is the time taken to make pure olive oil. The Menorah has filled with oil again after eight days – hence never went out and is remembered as the eight-day Hanukkah festival.
The Jews considered the Menorah as a symbol of being spiritual and having a close relationship with God. Many of them wear it as a necklace as a symbol of their spiritualism and connection to God. While the standard 7-arm Menorah symbolizes the 7 days of the week, that is, the presence of God every day in our lives, the 9-armed Hanukkah symbolizes the Jewish struggles and how God had helped them emerge victoriously.
As such, the Menorah can be one of the best gifts that you can give in the form of Menorah Necklace, Menorah Pendant, Menorah Rings, Menorah Locket. Gift one of these items to your loved ones and let them be under the blessings and protection of God.
4. Mezuzah
The Mezuzah is one of the most common decorative cases or items you will find in a Jewish household. It combines a parchment and the decorative designer case in which the parchment is placed. The Mezuzah contains holy verses from the Torah.
A Mezuzah is seen affixed on Jewish homes and doorways apart from bathrooms or places that are tiny rooms. This is done to fulfill the Biblical commandment that requires this to be placed on doorposts and gates.
The Mezuzah is a symbol of God’s protection and watchful care. One name of God – Sha-dai that appears on the parchment’s reverse is an acronym for Hebrew Words that mean – Guardians of the Israel doorways. As per popular belief, the Mezuzah protects the house and its inhabitants no matter where they are -inside or outside. This tradition of using the Mezuzah has been as old as the Jewish nation itself, and the Jewish people have kept this tradition alive no matter where they went.
The placing of the Mezuzah has certain rules to it – it should be placed at every doorstep on the right-hand side and placed on the upper third portion of the doorpost. And if a Jew is moving to a rented property, it is to be placed within 30 days of moving in the house.
The Mezuzah is built, and the text in it is written by a scribe who is trained professionally for it. Every 7 years, it has to be sent for examination to check if all the letters are intact so that it remains Kosher and its function of bringing holiness, happiness, protection, and prosperity to the house is always intact.
As such, with Mezuzah being a holy device that offers protection to the Jewish homes, it indeed is one of the best gifts that you can give to your loved ones. You can gift Wooden Mezuzahs, Children’s Personalized Mezuzah, Blue painted Mezuzahs, Creative Designer Mezuzahs, Glass Mezuzahs, etc., and it is sure to be a gift they will cherish for an entire lifetime.
5. Olive tree
The olive trees are sacred to the Jewish as it reminds them of the mount of Olives. This mount of Olives is located towards the east of the city of Jerusalem. As per the Jewish tradition, when the Messiah will finally arrive, he would enter Jerusalem through the Golden Gate or the Gate of Mercy that faces the Mount of Olives.
It is believed that all those who are buried along the hillside in the mount of olives will be the first to be resurrected on Judgement Day. There is a huge concentration of olive trees in this biblical mount and as such this mount holds a lot of religious value or importance.
As such, the Olive tree is an important part of the Jewish culture and symbolizes many life values in the Jewish Culture. It is mentioned as the tree of blessings, health, and fruitfulness. The olive tree stands for putting down the roots into the holy land of Israel. The Olive tree has been included in the state emblem of Israel and the Defence forces of Israel use it in their Insignia as well as a symbol of peace.
It was also used to make wreaths for wearing on heads during weddings for young men and women. Apart from that, the Olive Tree stands for prosperity, liveliness, and vitality. The Olive tree is also an important part of the Jewish economy as well and hence is a symbol of prosperity.
As such without any second thoughts, you can always choose Jewelry that depicts Olive tree leaves, or olive tree patterns for your loved ones. You can gift olive tree branch leaf necklaces, Olive tree branch gold necklaces, and pendants, olive leaf earrings, olive tree silver necklaces, etc.
6. Tree Of Life
The Tree of Life, referred to as Etz Chaim in Hebrew, is a common term that is often referred to as the Torah. The first reference to the “Tree of Life” comes in the biblical story of the Garden of Eden – which states that God had filled the garden with beautiful trees bearing tasty fruits, and in the middle of the garden there were planted two more trees – the tree of life which was forbidden for Adam and Eve, and the tree of knowledge.
This tree of life is commonly used as a term for the Torah in Jewish proverbs. In modern times, the term – “Tree of life” is being used widely to refer to things that are a source of divinity and inspiration to Jewish life. In Jewish tradition, it is also used to illustrate a diagram showing the ten divine commandments.
So – in broader terms, the Jewish Holy Book – the Torah is widely accepted as the Tree of Life and considered sacred. From a Kabbalistic perspective, the tree of life is used to describe how God created the world. Some find the tree to be a link between the earth and the heavens. As per Kabbalah, this tree has 22 lines, 10 nodes, that connect the heavens and the earth and the man, and God.
Different people interpret the tree of life differently – for some, it may be seen as a connection of wisdom and knowledge; some find it inspiring and take it as a symbol of growth and stability in life. And for some, it represents their connectivity with the various realms of earth. For some others, it represents fertility due to the presence of roots, branches, etc.
As such, you can plan on giving this tree of life to anyone given the different interpretations and the importance it has in Jewish culture. You can gift – pendants, silver pendants and necklace, bracelets, personalized pendants with family names, etc in the tree of life gifting options.
7. Jerusalem
The city of Jerusalem is sacred to the people of many faiths. For Jews, it has an important place both in the past Jewish history and the contemporary Jewish world. This area was traversed by the first Jew – Abraham, in 1800 BCE, as described as his wanderings of the Promised Land.
As per traditional beliefs, the place where Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac but later was commanded by God not to do so – was where Jerusalem was built.
It was the city of Jerusalem that David had chosen as his Capital, the first king of Israel. After his son, Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem, it became a religious hub and became the center of worship for the whole nation. It was asked to perform a pilgrimage to the temple thrice a year to gather for the three important festivals of the Jews.
The city of Jerusalem was so important that those who could not make the journey to Jerusalem were at least asked to pray to face towards Jerusalem’s direction. Even today, all synagogues are made facing Jerusalem so that their prayers are directed towards that direction.
Jerusalem is the current day Capital of the State of Israel and is the Holy land of the Jews. As such, the city symbolizes the very identity and the origin of the Jewish religion and culture. While other religions have their own claim on Jerusalem, the Jews have reclaimed it as theirs after many years of struggle and Independence in 1948. Jerusalem as such is of great significance for any Jew.
In terms of a gift, you can gift Jerusalem pendants, necklaces, ceramic creations, gold garnets, stone Jerusalem pendants, etc as gifts.
8. Hanukkiyah
In the earlier section, we have talked about the Hanukkah or the Hanukkah briefly, which is also referred to as Menorah by many. The legend of Hanukkah or Hanukiya is about the miracle of the oil that went on burning for eight days. Hanukkah is actually the Jewish Festival of Lights that is celebrated starting the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.
The glorious story behind the Hanukkah festival is what makes it even more special. About 2200 years ago, the whole of Israel was a greek territory, and the people were forbidden to practice their own religion or read the Torah. The rebel armies under Maccabee fought a war and reclaimed a temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. The next day while they prepared the temple for Hanukkah or rededication, there was only enough oil to last for one day. But miraculously, the light lasted for 8 days.
The Hanukiya or the Hanukkah menorah has 9 arms – 4 on either side, and 1 elevated arm in the middle known as the Shamash or Servant used to light all the other candles. Each candle is lit from left to right from the first day of Hanukkah till the eighth day, thereby symbolizing the fighting spirit and the freedom struggle of the Jews and how there are miracles of God that have helped the Jews in attaining freedom and reclaiming their lands back from the foreign rulers.
The Hanukiya to a Jew as such symbolizes the fighting spirit and struggle for freedom the Jews are known for, plus a deep sense of spiritual connection with the divine that the Jews have. The miracle that left the temple lights burning with oil that was enough for just one day was the fact that symbolizes the relationship with the God that the Jews have.
As such, Hanukkah or Hanukiya holds a very good sentimental, religious, spiritual value to the Jews and is a good gifting option. You can gift either Hanukiya brass lamps, Hanukiya Menorah lamps. You can find a wide range of Hanukkah lamps on Amazon.
The bottom line
The Jews are truly spiritual people. Given the freedom struggle they had in the past and their glorious history, many things hold a lot of importance in the Jewish tradition and culture. These items that hold importance include – Hamsa, Menorah, Mezuzah, Star of David, Olive Tree, Tree of Life, and finally, the Hanukkah. All of these things have a certain history, significance, and symbolism in the Jewish world and hence are very close to Jewish life.
As such, if you are looking for gifting options being a Jew or for a Jewish friend, all these things we mention form the perfect range of things that you can gift. Use this comprehensive article to go through everything about each of these items and why the Jews these things so much. Happy Gifting!!
