The ancient Hannakia — eight branched menorah — from the Gomez Mill House — the oldest Jewish homestead in America — will be on loan to the White House for the holidays.

Upon request of the White House, this Chanukah Menorah, made in Italy of polished cast and sheet brass in the late 18th century or early 19th century, will be prominently displayed in the West Room of the White House for the holiday season.

The eight-day holiday of Chanukah begins at sundown on December 13 to commemorate the victory of the Jewish Maccabees over the Syrian despots in a fight for religious freedom that rescued Judaism, as a culture, from annihilation. Guerrilla groups of Jews, unaccustomed to fighting and equipped with primitive weapons, fought the well-armed Seleucid soldiers and won a decisive battle at Emmaus. They returned to Jerusalem to find a sacked and burned Temple. On the twenty-fifth day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, in 165 B.C., Judah the Maccabee solemnly rededicated the restored Zion’s Temple by lighting the lamps of a great menorah — and celebrating the beginning of a week-long festival. Only enough oil was available for lighting the lamp for one day. The miracle was that the light from the oil burned eight days!

The Hanakia has eight oil holders set in pairs. Directly above is a seven branched candled menorah with the lions of Judah protecting on each side. Columns flank the Temple menorah. Above the menorah is the shammes (servant) — a ninth oil container, that is used to light the other eight. Above the shammes is a hand reaching from a cloud pouring oil into the single lamp.

This is interpreted to show that one can give love and light to others without losing any part of one’s own radiance.

Gomez Mill House was built in 1714 by a Sephardic Jew, Luis Gomez, as a trading post. Successive occupants added to Gomez’ stone base. At the turn of this century, the house was owned by John Staples and then Dard Hunter, the world famous papermaker. Both families were active members of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Hunter contributed a stained glass window as an arch to the house commemorating the history and heritage of the first owner, Gomez. The exact date when this Chanukah Menorah was brought to the Gomez Mill House is unknown, however, the provenance in the house has been traced prior to Hunter’s occupancy (1883-1888).

Chamber President to Receive Luis Gomez Award

In "the Business viewpoint", the publication of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, an insert in the Times Herald Record, Wednesday, April 23, 2004  issue was the following announcement:
 
Chamber President to Receive Luis Gomez Award
 
 Dr. John A. D'Ambrosio, President of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, will receive the Luis Gomez Award for Business Leadership from the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Orange County.  The award will be presented at the RNHAOC's Second Annual Awards Banquet on May 8 at The Thayer Hotel, West Point. Dr. D'Ambrosio will be recognized for his "outstanding contributions in the field of business and economic development as the first recipient of the Gomez Award.
 
Luis Gomez was a Sephardic Jew, a merchant and trader, who was the first owner of the Gomez Mill House, which he built in 1714 as a trading post for the new colonists. Fleeing from the Inquisition in Europe, Gomez built the fieldstone blockhouse from which he supplied Europeans and Caribbean goods to his Native American neighbors.
 
Guest speaker at the RNHAOC event will be Curtis Sliwa, Conservative talk show host on 77 WABC Talk Radio. Gov. George Pataki has also been invited to speak. Latin jazz will be performed by Mambo Negro. Other honorees will include Sen. William Larkin, Sandy Treadwell, Chairman of the New York Republican State Committee and Roberto Calderin, Principal of the New Windsor School. The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. For more information, call 774-3785 or e-mail RNHAOC@frontiernet.net.