A silver kiddush cup is one of the essential pieces for a Jewish home. It is used for the ritual blessing of wine or grape juice to sanctify Shabbat and Jewish holidays. The cup can be made from a variety of materials including sterling silver, pewter or even fine china. The most common type of kiddush cup however is sterling silver. The reason for this is because silver has antibacterial properties. This allows the cup to avoid developing a bad taste in your mouth from drinking the wine from it. Silver also has the ability to protect the wine from bacteria and fungus that could otherwise develop inside of it.
The traditional shape of a silver kiddush cup is typically a tapered or round base that connects with an angled cone-shaped top. The cup can be decorated with a wide array of motifs from simple to ornate and intricate. Many times a kiddush cup will be decorated with fruit such as grapes to symbolize the wine or grape juice that is being blessed. Other common motifs are floral decorations, initials or names, and biblical passages. Another very common design is a simple town scape or synagogue scene that often represents the ancestral hometowns of the Jewish people.
A great way to add a touch of sophistication and tradition to your silver Kiddush cup is to get it custom engraved with your family name or special message. This will make your sterling silver Kiddush cup an even more treasured item. A custom engraved sterling silver Kiddush cup makes a wonderful Bar or Bat Mitzvah, wedding, anniversary, or other Jewish lifecycle event gift. silver kiddush cup