Daily AncestorMenorah
A menorah, the seven-branched candlestick of the ancient Temple, on a gravestone is a Jewish symbol of God's presence and of faith.
The menorah is older as a Jewish emblem than the Star of David, and it has been carved on Jewish graves since antiquity. It recalls the lampstand of the Temple in Jerusalem and God's presence.
A candelabrum is not always a menorah: candlesticks on a stone are often for a woman, who lit the Sabbath candles. Count the branches; seven usually means the Temple menorah.
As seen in a recordJewish cemetery, 1880 to 1950
Seven-branched menorah above the Hebrew inscription: Abraham Lefkowitz, died 12 Kislev 5672 (1911)
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Menorah." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/gravestone-symbols/menorah. Last checked 2026-10-15.