The Hanukkah, Hanukah, Chanukah story
Obviously I didn’t write this story, but it’s certainly worth retelling:
Nearly 2,200 years ago, the Greek-Syrian ruler Antiochus IV tried to force Greek culture upon everyone in his territory. Jews in Judea – now Israel – were forbidden their most important religious practices. Although vastly outnumbered, religious Jews in the region took up arms to protect their community and their religion. Led by Judah the Maccabee, the rebel armies became known as the Maccabees.
After three years of fighting, the Maccabees victoriously reclaimed the temple on Jerusalem’s Mount Moriah. In the temple they found only enough purified oil to kindle the temple light for a single day. But miraculously, the light continued to burn for eight days.
And that, my friends, is why we fry foods on Hanukkah — so we can use oil as a remembrance of that miracle.
So, what are your favorite Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Christmas stories — either real or not?
I love A Christmas Carol, A Charlie Brown Christmas and my all-time favorite, Miracle on 34th Street — the original, not the remake. Ok, they’re all movies but they are wonderful stories. Hanukkah doesn’t much make it to the silver screen unless you count Adam Sandler, which of course I do.
But he’s no Kris Kringle.
Hanukkah begins tomorrow night, Sunday, December 21, @ sundown or whenever the latkes are ready.
Happy Hanukkah, Amy. Wishing you and your family all the joy of the season.
By the way, my favourite Hanukkah story they tell on CBC radio every year – Bone Button Borscht. (darn it, I missed it this year)
Thank you, Isobel.
I can’t believe I never heard of that story, but for anyone interested it seems to be a “Jewish” retelling of the classic story Stone Soup. Here’s a link: http://www.amazon.com/Bone-Button-Borscht-Aubrey-Davis/dp/1550742248
Happy Holidays!
Oh . . . here we go (favorite Christmas movies):
Meet Me in St. Louis (Judy Garland)
The Bishop’s Wife (Cary Grant)
Anything Rankin-Bass
E
Happy Hanukah to you! Love the history of the lamp oil and how it is remembered today by “breaking bread” together. Fav holiday movie is still It’s a Wonderful Life.
Adam Sandler always makes me laugh. My middle son “Fresh Prince” knows every word — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vrd9p47MPHg
Erica, I love Rankin-Bass. Those songs have stuck in my head since my childhood.
Angie, The Hanukkah Song is truly a classic. I know my kids love it because they feel included in holiday “hoopla!”
So now I know why you fry things at Hanukkah. How do you explain all the pickling?
Leslie, Leslie, Leslie…pickling is not confined to one holiday or season!
Dear Amy, Happy Chanukah (that’s how I’ve always spelled it!) to you and your family. My favorite holiday movie? A Charlie Brown Christmas. That sad, little tree gets me every time.
Although, we’re not religious, we celebrate by lighting our menorahs (we each have our own) and as the candles burn, we talk about what we appreciate in each other and in our lives. It’s a very spiritual tradition. By the last night, we’ve got all the candles on all four menorahs burning. It is a beautiful, peaceful experience.
Debbie, that sounds like a wonderful tradition! In our house if the kids don’t sing, no presents. And I know it’s not “about” presents but hey it gets my kids to sing!
Did a little write up on Bone Button Borscht if you’d like more info on it.
Happy Hanukkah Amy! I’m familiar with the story of the Maccabees (is it bad I learned it on Friends with Ross and the Hanukkah Armadillo?) but had never heard the correlation to frying things. I hope you eat up a storm1
Melanie, Now I have to go Google Hanukkah Armadillo! I’m learning so much about my own holiday from my blog friends!
I love latkes. I have a lot of fond memories of family gatherings and cooking with my folks and grandparents.
Jack, my latke memories are of frozen triangular ones people tried to pawn off as homemade! But they were still good. At least today the frozen ones LOOK homemade (I should know, there’s a box from TJ’s in my freezer)!
Hope you had an awesome Hanukkah Amy.
My favourite Chrsitmas story is O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi”. Read it here: Http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/Gift_of_the_Magi.html
Makes me go all squishy inside.
I went out and bought some refrigerated hash brown potatoes to make into latkes, and then had to go to THREE stores to find Hanukkah candles. As I passed by row after row of Christmas stuff, inflatable trees and Spongebob candy canes and special Christmas themed candies and coffee and on and on and on….I think I finally understood where the Christmas Envy I’ve read about. I’ve always known that Christmas is the bigger, more commercial holiday, but I guess I never got why that would make someone want to participate. I understand the ‘excluded’ part, but somehow never got the envy. Now I get it. I would have moments as well. As it is, we’re godless heathens, and we celebrate Christmas AND Hanukkah, and we love them both. Though I don’t think we have a gift to open for Hannukah, now that I think of it.
My daughter loves singing the Hannukah song.