“…If you recorded every word you said for 24 hours, you’d probably find hundreds of references to light. Light, brightness, radiance—these are the metaphors we use when we wish to speak about hope, wisdom, and goodness. The candle flame, the ray of light, the glowing coal—these are the images in which we recognize our yearning for a better world…”
—Yanki Tauber, The Lightness of Being
Cecile and I were invited to attend a lovely Hanukkah dinner party at the home of our friends and gracious hosts, Yael and Elie Alcheck.
As a gentile (not-Jewish), and married to a Jew for over 44 years, I have come to appreciate and love Hanukkah and all other annual Jewish celebrations. I sang in a Jewish choir, participated in interfaith activities, led meditation and healing services before the regular Shabbat (Sabbath) service at Congregation Shir Hadash and wrote an article for a temple retreat last Memorial Day Weekend, at the Land of the Medicine Buddha entitled, “The Relationship & Spiritual Connection Between Jews and Buddhists in America. In addition, our kids Jason and Michelle were raised in the Jewish tradition. So even though I am not Jewish, I do have a Jewish identity. After all, 23andMe says I’m 6% Jewish🙂
If you're a Jew, bringing your own menorah (BYOM) to a Hanukkah dinner party is common practice and it allows everyone to light the candles together, enjoy each other’s company and bask in the warm glow of the candles (photos). To mark the holiday, one candle is lit each evening on a nine-branch menorah. The ninth candle—the shamash, or "helper candle" is used to light the other eight.
Hanukkah is the least formal of all the Jewish holidays but holds deep cultural significance.
Simply stated, Hannukah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C. when Jews rose up against Greek-Syrian rulers in the Maccabean Revolt and drove them out of Jerusalem. To mark their victory, they lit a menorah but discovered they only had enough olive oil for one day. Mysteriously, the one-day supply lasted eight days and is considered by many to be a miracle in the Jewish faith.
Over the years, Hanukkah has become a big deal in the United States, in no small part due to Christmas. In the 1950s, 40 percent of middle-class Jews in Chicago where Cecile was born, had a Christmas tree. In response to the seduction of Christmas, Jewish religious leaders worked hard to shore up the celebration of Hanukkah. Advertisers saw a great opportunity to market Hanukkah as the Jewish alternative to Christmas and encouraged parents to give gifts to their children to make them immune to “Christmas envy.” For many interfaith families like ours, the kids made out even better, Christmas gifts and Hanukkah gifts. What’s not to like? Tell a young kid it’s not about the gifts.🙂To be fair, Hannukah gifts, given over eight days tend to be smaller.
Postscript: Thanks to friend Ruth Litwin for the quote by Yanki Tauber. Also, the last three photos are of Latkes (potato pancakes) from Russ & Daughters in NYC as seen on Sunday Morning Show). The last colorful photo is of Florence, Italy back in the day where Cheese Latkes were all the rage.
