Hanukkah

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Sara

Hanukkah begin sundown Wednesday night (December 1st). According to the Jewish calendar, which is based on the lunar cycle, Hanukkah falls on the exact same date every year. But, the Gregorian calendar is a solar-based calendar which is why Hanukkah falls on different dates each year on the Gregorian calendar.

Hanukkah, also knows as the Festival of Lights, is an 8-day celebration which commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after its destruction in the Maccabean revolt in the 2nd century BCE. The story goes that upon rededication of the Temple the Macabees discovered there only to be enough oil to light the menorah for one day. It would take eight days to make new olive oil. But, wanting to do as the Torah (Five Books of Moses) said, they light the menorah and commenced to making more oil. Yet the next day the flame still illuminated the Temple. As it would for the next 7 days, allowing new oil to be made. It was this miracle that gives us the duration of Hanukkah.

There are several items that are significant to Hanukkah: Menorah (more specifically, Hanukkiah), food, dreidel, gelt (money, often chocolate now), prayers and songs. Each of these are significant and makes this festival celebration very unique among the Jewish people.

Menorah

A menorah (me-no-rah) is a candelabra. It often has 6 branches. For Hanukkah, we use an 8-branched menorah called a Hanukkiah (ha-noo-key-uh). It is specific to Hanukkah and in addition to the 8 branches, there is a nineth spot for the helper candle which lights the others. This helper candle is called the shamash (sha-mah-sh). Hanukkah candles are not lit with matches, they must be lit with another candle, thus the importance of the shamash.

A hanukkiah may be made of any material (glass, metal, ceramic, clay, or even muffin cups!). Many families have one for each person in the family, as it is a mitzvah (meets-vah) to light the menorah at Hanukkah.

The menorah BabyGirl made for display this year

First night of Hanukkah

Food

It's not a party without food! Most will have latkes (lot-kuhs or some say lot-keys) which are potato pancakes. I make them in the traditional way by shredding potatoes adding some chopped onion, salt, pepper, egg and a few tablespoons of flour and mixing them to make little patties. They're kinda like hash browns if you're needing a reference point. They're fried in oil -- oil being the key ingredient in Hanukkah! The most traditional toppings are applesauce or sour cream

Crispy Latkes

photo credit: surlygirl

There are also jelly donuts. Yes, that's right, donuts. Popularized by Spanish and Middle Eastern Jews, Sufganiyot (soof-gahn-ee-yoat) are the main Hanukkah food you'll find in Israel. But, they're starting to catch on here in the US too. I didn't grow up having these but I learned about them when I lived in Israel. Delish!

Dreidel and Gelt

A dreidel is a 4-sided top and was invented as a way to cover up studying Torah when it was forbidden. There is a letter on each side representing the phrase 'A great miracle happened there'. In Israel, there is one letter that is different because the Israel dreidels translate to 'A great miracle happened HERE'. It is a fun game and often is played with gelt (money). Usually the money is chocolate coins and kids young and old enjoy playing.

photo credit: juliejigsaw

Prayers and Songs

As with all Jewish holidays, Hanukkah has special prayers that are recited each night when the candles are lit. Jews are required to say the prayers for candle lighting. After candles are lit, many Jews sing traditional songs although there are modern songs that are becoming popular as well.

Gifts

Hanukkah, traditionally, is not a gift-giving holiday. When I grew up my family exchanged small token gifts, but nothing significant. For me, Hanukkah was never a Christmas alternative. It has, however, grown into a more secularized celebration with extravagant gifts and many people making Hanukkah into a Christmas-like celebration.

How Do You Spell It?

OK, now that you've read all the way through I know this is the one question you probably want to ask. Hanukkah does not have a standard transliteration. In Hebrew there are two ways to spell it and it's a difference of vowel placement. But when it's transliterated into English there are a number of ways depending on where you live and how you learned it growing up. Some spell it with the 'Ch', others with just the 'H'. Then of course there is the question of how many k's and n's to add.

So, really, it doesn't matter if you see Hanukkah or Chanukkah or Hannukah or Channukkah, it's all the same. Just as long as there is a menorah, some latkes and maybe some jelly donuts it's all good!

Music

Before I go, I'll leave with with one of my current favorite popular songs. One is from a pop group called The LeeVees and it is called, fittingly, How Do You Spell ......

LeeVees - How Do You Spell Channukkahh? from The LeeVees on Vimeo.

Sara Hawkins

Saving For Someday

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Editor's Apology: Sara has been awesome at contributing these posts about the Jewish Festivals this year and I want to acknowledge that effort and apologize for not getting this post up on Wednesday. Thank you Sara for another excellent post.

Simchat Torah

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Sara

Simchat Torah (pronounce Sim-hot Tor-ah) is one of the wonderfully joyous Jewish festivals. Simchat Torah is at the end of the month that began with Rosh Hashana, bringing to a close a very important and spiritual month with joy, laughter, excitement, dancing and singing.

Simchat Torah translates to mean 'Rejoice with the Torah' and signifies the end and beginning of a cycle. As Rosh Hashana marked the beginning of the Jewish year, the birthday of the world, Simchat Torah marks both the ending and beginning of another Jewish milestone - public reading of the Torah.

One might think that Rosh Hashana, the new year, would mean that we begin reading the torah from the beginning once again. However, it is actually 3-weeks later on Simchat Torah that Jews mark the transition from the end of the torah and return to the beginning.

The Sefer Torah (pronounce safe-air Tor-ah) literally means 'Book of Torah'. And the Torah is the first five books of Moses, most often referred to as the Old Testament. A Sefer Torah is handwritten on parchment paper by a trained scribe. They are one of the most holy relics of the Jewish people and are held in such high regard that they are dressed in ornate coverings and treated with such care that special pointers have been made so that hands and fingers do not touch it for reading purposes.

Simchat Torah is a family celebration and is very lively. At my synagogue, we make special floral wreaths for each torah. Last year, my daughter and I joined several other women to create beautiful purple and white wreaths. You can see our handiwork here, just scroll down to Simchat Torah! There is dancing and singing and plenty of torah reading. Seeing a torah scroll fully unrolled is quite a site. Because each Torah is hand created, they come in different sizes so it's hard to tell you how long it is when unrolled. To give you an idea of how large it can be, check out this picture.

For my congregation, Simchat Torah is another way to get closer to G-D and celebrate the many wonders of Judaism. Everyone who is capable gets to carry the Torah and dance around. Children are given plush, stuffed torah so they can participate too. It truly is a wonderful way to mark the end of the Old Testament and the renewal and beginning of the new cycle of learning and study that comes with reading the Torah.

My daughter especially likes Simchat Torah because it is so much fun. Who doesn't like singing and dancing and, of course, eating! And, like me as a child, she is overtaken with the enormity of the Torah when it is fully unrolled. At my synagogue a fully unrolled Torah scroll requires over 100 people to hold it. It truly is a marvelous sight. One that brings such pride, that even writing this I have a lump in my throat.

And just hearing those words - In the Beginning - make me so proud to be Jewish.

Photo Credit: Sara for Congregation Or Chadash

Jewish New Year Celebrations

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Sara

For many people, fall is a time of year to slow down and begin reflecting on how they want to remember the year. For Jews, fall marks the beginning. The beginning of a new year. Our High Holidays.

As the Jewish calendar is lunar-based calendar, it seems that our holiday, festivals and celebrations jump around on the calendar. In fact, on the lunar calendar they virtually unchanged from the earliest recorded celebrations. This year the Jewish New Year will begin at sundown on September 8th. All Jewish holidays begin at sundown, in accordance with the beginning of our 'day' based on a lunar cycle.

Jewish New Year celebration encompass two holy days - Rosh Hashana (pronounce: roe-sh ha-shah-nah) and Yom Kippur (pronounce: yoem kee-pooh-ur) Rosh Hashanah (some omit the last h) literally means head (rosh) of the year (ha shanah) and this year will mark the year 5771. These two celebrations are the most holy days for Jews worldwide. Many Jews will spend their day in worship reflecting on the year to come. Unlike other celebrations of the new year where the primary focus is on rejoicing, Rosh Hashanah is a time for solemn reflection and a day of memorial. Rosh Hashana is a day when the Almighty sits in judgment of all creatures on earth and grants forgiveness to all.

Yom Kippur means Day of Atonement. It is a day to reflect upon our sins and seek forgiveness for our transgressions not only to G-D, but to those here on Earth that we have wronged. Of all the celebrations of the Jewish people, Yom Kippur is our most holy day. It is our most serious holiday and is reflected by the solemn tone of the service.

: Rams Horn Shofar

Yet, not unlike most Jewish holidays there are special sights, sounds and smells associated with these two very important celebrations. The first is a shofar (pronounced: show-far). A shofar is usually a rams horn, although there are several specific animals other than a ram from which a shofar can be made. It symbolizes the ram that was sacrificed by Abraham in Isaac's place. It's sound is a call to all G-D's people to join in worship and remind of of this Day of Judgment. The final blast of the shofar is a sound to behold. It is one long blast, often lasting up to 2 minutes by the most adept shofar blower. In most congregations it will be a man who blows the shofar. It is not an easy instrument to sound!

For these High Holidays, there is special clothing for the Torah. The Torah is the 'old testament', the first five books of Moses. They are handwritten and held in sacred regard among the Jewish people. To see each Torah outfitted in it's fanciest garb is a symbol that this holiday is something special. Most often, they the Torah is dressed in white.

As a child, my favorite part of the High Holidays was always the round challah, sliced apples and honey that were served at Rosh Hashnah and Yom Kippur meals. These two holidays are observed with the presentation of a round challah, symbolizing life and the universe. Often, this challah has raisins to make it sweeter. And the apples and honey are further symbols of the sweetness the new year holds. And, of course there are the pomegranates. Sweet and tart and so much work to eat, but so rewarding. Oh, the memories!

I wish you all a L'shanah tovah (pronounce: Luh-shah-nah-tove-ah) ('for a good year'). This is the traditional greeting shared among Jews during Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. And at the end of Yom Kippur, the shofar is sounded one last time in a long blast. We end by saying 'Next Year in Jerusalem', as a way to remind ourselves that we continue to strive for a holy land of peace for all Jewish people.

Sara Hawkins
Saving For Someday
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