8 September 2003

Hanukah

In recent months France has re-gained a reputation as a country who hates Jews.  This reputation comes easily since there have been acts of violence against individuals and also the burning of two synagogues in southern France.

My American friend Amy, who converted to Judiasm a couple of years ago sent me an interesting article about why the Jews should refuse to travel Europe.  In the article it says France is the number one Jew-hating country in Europe.  That’s difficult to believe given Germany’s history.

Now that I have all of this information I guess the American thing to do would be to be scared of having our annual Hanukah party.  At first I did feel like maybe it wouldn’t be “safe” to draw attention to the fact that I think it is important for all of us to know about other cultures and religions.  Then I had to laugh at myself.  I seem to be a walking billboard for wanting to know about people different from me.  It seems like it’s a little late for me to back track.

We started having a little party for Hanukah, the Jewish festival of lights when our daughter was seven.  It was 1981 and I lived in The Plains, Ohio.  The idea of the party was all I could think to do that might teach our girl about other lands and practices.

Each year since then the party has grown to include many children.  I’ve even gone to classes at the local elementaries to bring Latkas (potato pancakes) with applesauce and sour cream.  We light the Menorah (a candle stick that holds 8 candles) and I tell the story of how a tribe of people fought for their religious freedom against all odds and won.

As I searched through the small box of holiday decorations I found in the shipment from the US I discovered that in the very bottom of the box, safely wrapped in a lovely blue cloth was the Menorah, the gelt (gold coins the soldiers traded), and the dreidels (little tops used to play a betting game for chocolates). 

That box of decorations got me to thinking that I am silly to be fearful of standing up for others.  I could just as easily celebrate other religions during this time of the year.  There is Ramadan that the Muslims observe for a whole month of fasting and giving to others who have less.  There is the Pagan’s Winter Solstice, which actually started the whole Christian celebration of Christmas with an ever green tree and singing “Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly”.  And Kawanza celebrated as an African American observance to honor a high moral code.

I wouldn’t hesitate to bring the Christmas tree home to decorate so I cannot, in good faith skip the first night of Hanukah.

It is my plan to invite a couple of families with small children to arrive at sunset for a special meal, lighting of the first candle of the Menorah and hunt for gelt.  I think I’ll take my chances.