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Chanukah

Saints of the day: Frances, Judith, Marian
Word of the day:

It makes no sense to close a door that can be left ajar. 
James W. Fullbright

Chanukah (also Hanukkah or Channukah, pronounced hah'-nu-ka) celebrates the survival of the Jewish culture and faith. Also called "The Festival of Lights," this eight day Jewish holiday is celebrated around the world on the 25th day of the Hebrew month Kislev. During Chanukah, the Jewish people commemorate an ancient miracle through prayer and song, the lighting of menorahs and other holiday rituals. 
Chanukah dates back to the year 165 B.C. and commemorates the victory of the Jews over the Greeks. At the time, the Greeks were attempting to "Hellenize" the world by imposing their language, customs and religion upon those they conquered. They succeeded nearly everywhere, except in Judea, where religious Jews, faithful to their Torah and their one God, rejected Hellenism and its pagan gods.

Their resistance was dealt with harshly. The Emperor Antiochus set out to destroy Judaism, abolishing Jewish law and banning observance of the Sabbath and the study of Torah, two pillars of Jewish life. Those Jews who would not worship at the altar of Zeus were executed.   Chiefs among those who refused to repudiate their Jewish culture and religion were Judah Maccabee and his four brothers. Together they gathered an army, and after seven long years of guerilla warfare, these Maccabees, as they were known, overcame the larger, more powerful Greek-Syrian army.

But much damage had been done to the towns and cities of the Jewish people, and when the Maccabees returned to Jerusalem to reclaim their Temple, they found it defiled and in ruins. Somehow, though, one small jar of pure olive oil--used to light the lamp of the Temple--survived. But what to do? The purification ceremonies of the time--necessary before the temple could be used again--called for a full day of purification, followed by days of thanks. There was not enough oil to keep a constant flame and complete the entire ritual. Or was there?

The people took a risk, lit the lamp and, miraculously, it stayed lit for an entire eight days and nights, until more oil could be found and brought to the Temple.

Since that day, Jews have observed Chanukah , meaning "rededication," for eight days and celebrated with the ceremonial lighting of oil or candles every evening during the festival.

The children play dreidel, a game of luck. The dreidel has four sides, each bearing a Hebrew letter - nun, gimel, hey, and shin - the initials of "Ness Gadol Haya Sham" meaning "a great miracle took place there".

With each spin, children place a bet of candy, coins or poker chips into the kitty and wait to see where the dreidel lands. The symbols also mean in jiddish "Nicht - Gut - Halb - Schlecht" (No - good - half - bad) which means no win/no lose, win all, win half and lose all.

Chanukah festivities begin with the lighting of a nine-stemmed candelabra called a menorah or, in Hebrew, "Hanukkiyah." The menorah symbolizes the Divine Presence within the Temple or home, wherever it is kept and venerated. The menorah holds eight candles plus a service candle, called the "shamash."

On the first night of Chanukah , a candle or vial of oil is lit with the shamash and burns for at least half an hour. Each night another candle is added, placed in the menorah from right to left and lit from left to right. The service candle has its own space in the menorah, set higher or apart from the other eight candles. By the last night of Chanukah , all eight candles, together with the shamash, are lit.

Hebrew prayers are recited before the lighting of each candle to thank God for the commandment to light the Chanukah candles, and for the miracle represented by the candles. The story of Antiochus, Matthias, Judah and the Maccabees is told in sections over the eight nights of the celebration.

It is believed that the menorah is derived from symbols of the sacred "Tree of Life" of ancient mythology. The Tree of Life, which dates back to 3000 B.C., is said to have offered eternal life to those who ate its fruits. One may not use the menorah candles as a source for heat or light, though it is acceptable to use the shamash for light and warmth.

For Jewish people, Chanukah was not traditionally a "gift-giving" holiday. It has only become a mainstream American holiday since the 1920s, when, after World War I, the commercialism and proximity of Christmas began to influence Chanukah celebrations and gift giving became part of the tradition.

Traditionally for Chanukah , children were given Chanukah gelt (money), which could be either real coins or gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins. The giving of money began as a way for communities to honor their teachers, but eventually children also received money for answering questions or solving riddles correctly. Children then used the money for betting in card games or dreidel.

Like many festivals, Chanukah also incorporates traditional foods. From latkes (potato pancakes) to sufganiyot (jelly donuts), a number are fried in oil to commemorate the ancient miracle of the sacred olive oil. Dairy products are also a common theme, from sour cream on potato pancakes to cheese in blintzes. The custom goes back to the story of Judith, a Jewish heroine who helped save the Jews.

According to the traditional story, Judith was a beautiful and virtuous widow who pretended to seduce the enemy, in this case the Assyrian general who intended to destroy Jerusalem. The town was under siege, its people starving, but Judith had a plan. For several nights, she agreed to have dinner with the general in his private tent. The last night she brought him a meal rich in dairy products, especially cheese. (Some believe that dairy promotes thirst and sleepiness.)

The general ate well, drank heavily of Judith's wine and shortly fell into a drunken slumber. Judith beheaded him, wrapped up his head in her basket and carried it back into town through the enemy's camp, as she had for several nights in a row. When the general's soldiers found him in the morning, they fled in fear.

 

Birthdays: Gustav Gründgens
three of our friends - six of our ancestors