Temple B’nai Israel to host Zoom Hanukkah celebration

The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, began Nov. 28, at sundown. Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration in 164 BCE. The Maccabees, led by Judah, were the first Jews who fought to defend their religious beliefs. Following the struggle to regain the Holy Temple a great miracle happened when the lamp that had only enough oil to burn for one day miraculously burned for eight days, thus establishing the precedent for the eight-day festival.

Today Hanukah is celebrated in homes around the world by the lighting of the menorah, a nine branched candelabrum that holds a primary candle, the shamash, that is used to light an additional candle for each night until the final night when the menorah glows brightly with all eight candles and the shamash. As the candles are lit, blessings are chanted before and during the process. Many families will light their menorah by a window to share the spirit and glow of the festival. Other Hanukkah celebrations have emerged over the years. In the shtetls of Eastern Europe, children were given Hanukkah gelt, or coins, as a special treat, but real coins have been replaced by chocolate coins, wrapped in gold or silver foil, and brightly wrapped presents which are often given each night of the holiday. In many homes, playing the game of dreidel, a spinning top that is inscribed with the Hebrew letters that represent the Hanukkah theme, “a great miracle happened there,” may be part of the nightly ritual after lighting the menorah.

As with every Jewish holiday, there are traditional Hanukkah foods that have special meaning to this festival as they are cooked in oil. The most notable are the potato latkes, or pancakes, fried in batches and served with applesauce or sour cream. The custom of eating sufganiyot, a jelly filled donut, has emerged from the Israeli tradition where these delicacies are fried in oil. Whether indulging in latkes, sufganiyot, or fried mozzarella sticks, the importance of celebrating with fried food is recognizing what occurred in the past and honoring this joyous holiday today.

Temple B’nai Israel will host a Zoom community Hanukkah celebration on Saturday, Dec. 4. Each household will light their menorah and chant the Hanukkah blessings in their home. The religious school children will lead singing of traditional Hanukkah songs followed by a game of trivia and a Hanukkah scavenger hunt. For more information about the festivities planned, visit tbinh.org/event/hanukah-celebration.

Everyone is encouraged to share why their menorah may have special meaning. Share a story when sending in an RSVP to info@tbinh.org.