Hanukkah: Eight Crazy Nights!
by Amy Deutsch, Director of Ansin Religious School
I’ve spent the last few months planning for Hanukkah. Here at ARS (the one-day-a-week religious school program that is a perfect extension of your time at TCEE), the highlights of our year are our annual Shul-Ins, synagogue sleepovers. Once a year, we gather our kids for the most special weekend of programming and fun and time with their ARS friends, and this year our 4th – 7th grade Shul In, this past weekend, wasHanukkah themed. We played Hanukkah flip-latke; built Hanukkah-themed lego creations; made edible dreidels; ate sufganiyot (donuts) on a string, and more! So, I’ve been thinking about Hanukkah, and how we teach it, A LOT.
Hanukkah is a time of miracles. When we teach Hanukkah to our youngest friends, we emphasize the miracle of the oil – the part of the story where the Maccabees were cleaning the holy Temple in order to dedicate it back to God, and found one small carafe of oil that would only last for one day – but then that the oil that was supposed to last for just one day ended up lasting for eight days! And that is a lovely miracle. But sometimes we forget the greater miracle of this holiday.
In brief: back around the year 168, the land of Israel was under control of the Greeks and King Antiochus, who didn’t allow the Jewish people to practice their Judaism (no Shabbat, no reading Torah, no keeping kosher…the list goes on). A small band of Jewish warriors (the Maccabees), decided to fight back. They were much smaller than the Greek army, but using a combination of guerrilla tactics and trickery – and with perhaps some help from God – the Maccabees triumphed. (If you want more specifics and details, I love this video from Unpacked for Educators – not for little kids – or this article on MyJewishLearning.com).
So though the oil is certainly a miracle of Hanukkah, the holiday is about so much more. It’s about standing up for what you believe in. It’s about being brave and fighting for what’s right. In this complicated time in our world with antisemitism ever on the rise, I draw strength from the Maccabees and their fight to be Jewish. Knowing that this isn’t the first time that the Jewish people have had to stand up for ourselves, to fight to be seen as equal and valued – that gives me hope. But what gives me the most hope is teaching our kids: sharing with them our Jewish values of learning, of community, and of rededication. At this Hanukkah, I am inspired to rededicate myself to the holiest work of all: creating holy community here with all of you.
I hope you and all of the families of TCEE will join all of the ARS families on Tuesday December 16 from 5:30 – 6:00 pm for our Hanukkah Candlelighting and Song Session, followed by our Hanukkah Fry-Fest Dinner from 6:00 – 7:00 (register here!) We’ll have Hanukkah activities, games, and plenty of gelt. Please just register early so we can order enough food!
Wishing you a Hanukkah filled with love and light!