Ceremony at School Marks Debut of Hanukkah Stamp

As the postmaster in Woodland Hills, Rick West has seen his share of stamps.

But the U.S. Postal Service’s new Hanukkah stamp, which went on sale Wednesday, has a unique place in West’s memory.

He witnessed firsthand the grass-roots effort that led to creation of the stamp: heartfelt letters from students at Kadima Hebrew Academy. The 300 students lobbied the government, saying the stamp would be nothing less than a symbol of religious freedom. Although 40,000 requests for new stamps come in each year, West said, the Woodland Hills plea struck a chord.

“I’m caught up with emotion, I really am,” West said, pausing during a ceremony Wednesday at the school to mark the stamp’s debut.

“This couldn’t have happened without each and every one of you,” he said.

The design for the stamp was unveiled in March. On Wednesday, school and public officials joined students and parents in the school courtyard, which the Postal Service designated the “Hanukkah Stamp Station.”

A special postmark available Wednesday read, “You can make a difference. Hanukkah Stamp Station” and contained the school’s name.

Speakers mentioned the fact that Christmas stamps have been available for more than three decades.

“I thought it would never come to pass,” said county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. “But never underestimate the will of these students.”

Students said that although they enjoyed having their voice heard politically, the stamp’s value lay in its acknowledgment of a Jewish holiday.

As sixth-grader Tali Shousterman put it: “Having this stamp is important because it helps people know there isn’t just one religion in this country. There are many.”