HAPPY CHANUKAH

We grew up in a less than affluent home. As a result, Chanukah for us meant things like sox and underwear and toothbrushes. You know- things we needed as opposed to things we wanted. Once in mid summer we told our mother that we need new underwear and her reply was, “Can you wait until Chanukah?” Tough call- it was July!

Nonetheless, it was a joyous holiday for us. Our father was artistic and he made a special Chanukah table cloth: white cloth with a big Jewish star in the middle and all of our names around the star. Of course, the star and our names were in blue glitter.

We each had our turn to say the blessings and light the lights (we used candles). Good thing Chanukah lasts for eight days- there were six kids and two parents. No one got left out.

Latkes were a daily staple and as a result, the house stank of garlic, potato, oil and onion all week. If the apple harvest from our orchard was a good one, then there were still tons of apples left after Thanksgiving, so there was apple sauce for the latkes and the usual baked apples for dessert all week. And the next week and the next week and the next week……..

One year, one of the younger siblings sang a new version of Maoz Tzur. It went something like Maoz Tzur yeshuati, we’re Jewish so we don’t have a Christmas tree. We thought it was funny. Bubby was outraged. Come to think of it, so, too,were the parents.

We grew up in New England, so one thing was for sure. You knew that if you had outgrown your ice skates, you were sure to get a new pair for Chanukah. We were beyond simple joy the year we got figure skates instead of hockey skates. At the end of our rural property, there was a creek and it would freeze in the winter. The creek led to a cove that would also freeze. We put a small bench at the edge of the creek so we could put on our skates there, and we were good to go. During the winter vacation from school, we would be on the ice pretty much all day. One year, we decided that we would bring a menorah to the cove and let every one join in on the blessing just before it got too dark to continue on the ice.

Memories of Chanukah past merge with days of Chanukah present. All in all, it is a happy time. Chag Chanukah Sameach!