Hanukkah Hints

When Jewish children are asked to name their favorite holidays, Hanukkah is always a popular choice. This probably does not come as a surprise to any of us. In fact, among the respondents to the 2001 National Jewish Population Survey, 72% indicated they light Hanukkah candles. In terms of Jewish connection, this holiday ritual was surpassed only by “holding/attending a Passover seder,” an act undertaken by 77% of the adults surveyed. For many Jews, children and adults alike, Hanukkah is a holiday that resonates with and excites us. Some people look forward to the aroma of latkes frying in their kitchens or the sound of children playing dreidel with gelt or candy pieces. For others, it is the light of the Hanukkah candles shining brightly for eight nights. Many enjoy the acts of giving and receiving gifts throughout the holiday. Wherever you find your pleasure in this joyful holiday, I invite you to consider some possible ways to add to your holiday of lights celebration this year.

• We light the hanukkiah (menorah) during the darkest time of the year. Before lighting the candles, take your family for an evening walk. Go outside together and feel how dark it is, then come inside out of the cold and light the hanukkiah. It is a great way to feel the contrast between the darkness outside and the brilliance of the Hanukkah lights.
• When considering the tastes and aromas of Hanukkah, many Jews think immediately of latkes frying in oil. A lesser known culinary connection for the festival of lights is the tradition of eating food made with dairy products in honor of Judith. While her story, a piece of midrash found in the Talmud, is not part of the traditional Maccabean tale behind Hanukkah, Judith is honored in two ways. The Shulchan Arukh, the Code of Jewish Law, specifies that while the Hanukkah lights are burning, no one is to engage in work, especially women – some attribute this paying special merit to the valorous role of Judith who saved the Jewish town of Bethulia. We also honor her with the eating of dairy, remembering how she used cheese as part of her plot to overcome Holofernes, the enemy general who was laying siege to Bethulia. This year during Hanukkah, remember the valor of Judith and add some dairy to your holiday menu.
• Gift-giving is a large part of our winter celebrations. There are many in our communities who need a little more help this season, so here are some suggestions on how to give even more:
• Choose one night as the evening on which your family gives to others. Instead of giving gifts to each other, let each family member choose a charity or organization that is important or meaningful to them and make a donation.
• Even though Hanukkah falls a little earlier than Christmas this year, you can still take part in the December 25^th Day of Service with the Washington DC JCC. More than 1,000 volunteers of all ages will serve meals to the homeless, entertain seniors and children, give blood, and paint homeless shelters on this day of service. For more information, contact the Washington DC JCC - http://washingtondcjcc.org/volunteer/). If you do not live in the Washington DC area, contact your local JCC or Federation to find out about volunteer opportunities in your community.