This could be used as an oversized cup for sanctifying the Jewish Sabbath on Friday night and Saturday midday. Although wine is preferable for kiddush, the sanctification ceremony, grape juice may be used or a mixture. A majority of the cup must be drunk.
It’s actually a silver water goblet that I bought in Smiths Grove, Kentucky, at Boone’s Antiques. I bought it in 2005 or so on a return road trip from visiting my sister in Atlanta.
I put this goblet aside for Passover use as the Cup of Elijah the prophet at the Seder (SAY der). Why it’s dedicated to Elijah is a long story for some other time.
These are seven of the nine kiddush cups. I inherited three. I inherited the one on the right in the second row from my Grandfather Fischer, my mother’s father. It is dated 1891 and is 84% silver. I inherited the two kiddush cups in the back row from my parents. The pedestal of the one on the right reads in Hebrew “who creates the fruit of the vine,” which is the Almighty of course. The one on the left is Israeli-styled copper with a patina.
I bought the cup in the front right in Jerusalem’s Old City in 2007. It’s a vintage silver cup from Russia dated 1863, also 84% silver. As usual, I have failed to polish it. It’s larger than the other cups.
I don’t know how the other two kiddush cups on the left came into my possession. The smaller one is sterling silver. The larger of the two is 25% silver.
This sterling silver cup is at the center of the seven cups. It was a present from my fiancee. It’s engraved in Hebrew with my name — Nesanel HaLevi, Nesanel the Levite. I’m descended from the Patriarch Jacob of the Bible’s son Levi. Jewish priests are also descended from Levi. They are accorded honor in the synagogue as am I. The priests’ responsibility is to bless the congregation. My responsibility is to wash their hands before the blessing.
The ninth kiddush cup is the one I use on Passover. There is nothing special about it. My son left it for me when he moved to Miami. It’s packed away with the other Passover items. Perhaps I’ll remember to take a picture of it next Passover.
Do I need this many kiddush cups? I’ve only had one guest at one time. He could have heard me make kiddush with one cup and answered “amen” and it would have been fine. However, it’s better for everyone to recite kiddush on their own. Perhaps, now that I’ve inventoried what I have, I’ll send these two kiddush cups of unknown origin to my grandsons since they have no sentimental value. Better that they use them now rather than inherit them way off in the future.
The others have sentimental value so I’ll hold on to them.
Hot Tea with Sugar 
“The pedestal of one of the cups reads in Hebrew …” One of my sisters has the same kiddush cup. She told me that we got them from the congregation for graduating Hebrew school.
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