The Word Chanukia

 

I heard in a lecture by a leader of the Israel Museum that the name given to the Chanukah candelabra, Chanukia, is not a correct way to refer to it. He said that the word Chanukia was coined in the 1910's for a song written in Israel. I am a tour leader at the Skirball Museum in Los Angeles, California and am anxious to be informed on this subject. Can you help? Thank you & Shalom.

In traditional Jewish literature the candelabra for Chanukah is called either menora or ner Chanukah, "candle of Chanukah." Chanukia is a modern Hebrew term.