Opinion

Celebrating Hanukkah

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Hi neighbors. Hanukkah is the best known American Jewish holiday. Hanukkah begins every year on the 25th of the Hebrew month of "Kislev." This year, the 25th of Kislev corresponds to the evening of December 4th, 2007.

Hanukkah is celebrated with traditional food, gift exchanges and lighting menorahs.

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and reaffirms the continuing struggle to lead lives dedicated to God's commandments. The word Hanukka means "rededication." It reminds Jews of a time they struggled for religious freedom. More than two thousand years ago, foreign rulers decreed that Jews must bow down to an image of their leader, Antiochus and his statue was erected in the Temple.

Jewish law forbids bowing down to idols. A small group of Jews called Maccabees (meaning 'hammer') refused to do so and raised up a revolt among the people.

The Maccabees won, but the Temple was destroyed. When the Jews cleaned and repaired the Temple they rededicated it to God by rekindling the menorah, a candelabrum symbolizing the covenant between God and the Jewish people.

They found there was only enough olive oil to fuel the menorah for one night, and it would have taken eight days to make more oil. The legend of the miracle at Hanukkah says that the one day supply of oil burned for eight days and nights until more oil could be made.

Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days, corresponding to the legend of the miracle of the oil in the Temple.

Each night of Hanukkah, children are given small gifts and parties are held. The religious celebration of lighting the menorah and prayer occurs each evening before the party. Candles are used now instead of oil. One candle is lighted each night until all eight are lit.

A popular gift, a dreidel (a spinning top), is actually a game of chance. The four sides of the top bear four Hebrew letters: nun, gimel, hei, and shin. Players would begin by "anteing" certain number of coins, nuts, or other objects. Each one in turn would then spin the dreidel and proceed as follows: nun ("nichts") -- take nothing; gimel ("ganz") -- take everything; hei ("halb") -- take half; shin ("shtell") -- put in.

The winner would often receive money (Hanukkah gelt). Over time, the gambling terms were reinterpreted to stand for the Hebrew phrase Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, "A great miracle happened there." In Israel, one letter on the dreidel has been changed. The shin has been replaced with a pei, transforming the Hebrew phrase into Nes Gadol Hayah Po. "A great miracle happened here." Hanukkah Gelt (money) can be savings bonds, checks, or small chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil. Following the rededication of the Temple, the Jewish people won their independence and began minting their own coins. One of the coins portrayed the seven-branched menorah on one side and the Table of Shew Bread on the other, both symbols of the restored Temple.

In 1958, the Bank of Israel initiated a program of striking special commemorative coins for use as Hanukkah gelt. The first Hanukkah coin portrayed exactly the same menorah that had appeared on the Last Maccabean coins of Antigonus Matityahu, 1,998 years earlier. On the 200th anniversary of the United States' Declaration of Independence, the 1976 Hanukkah coin featured a colonial American menorah.

A favorite Hanukkah food is latkes, or potato pancakes. Here's how to make them:

12 large potatoes, grated

3 medium onions, grated

4 eggs, beaten lightly

5 tbs. flour 3 tsp. salt,

1 tsp. pepper

Oil for deep frying

Remove as much liquid from the potatoes and onions as possible. Combine all the ingredients and mix together well by hand. In a heavy skillet, put a 3/4" deep layer of oil. Heat until sizzling. Form individual pancakes by hand and carefully slide into the pan.

When the latkes are nicely browned on one side, turn carefully and cook until browned on the other side and crisp on the edges. Remove and place on paper towels. Serve immediately with sour cream or applesauce, or sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Until the next time friends remember, America has many people from different cultures and religions. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about their celebrations.