Hanukkah is not “Jewish Christmas”: It’s a celebration of light and miracles in the darkest time of the year. Hanukkah is also not a major Jewish holiday like Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur or Passover. But due to the popularity of Christmas in North America, it has taken on a larger significance.
This year, Hanukkah begins on Christmas Day and ends on New Year, a fun and rare occurrence. (The Jewish Year follows a lunisolar calendar, meaning dates fluctuate from year to year.) Most Jewish families celebrate Hanukkah in their own way, whether they are observant or not.
The story behind Hanukkah
Hanukkah is based on the Book of Maccabees, which didn’t make it into the Torah but still has cultural sway. The story centers around Jewish rebel warriors who reclaimed Judea from the Seleucid Empire.
Jerusalem’s holy temple was desecrated; in order to purify and rededicate it, they needed to light a menorah (a Jewish candelabra). They only had enough oil for one day — but the miracle of Hanukkah is that the oil burned for eight.
Today, religious and non-religious Jews light candles for eight nights during Hanukkah to honor this miracle. To learn more about the holiday, Village Books has a selection of children’s books for Hanukkah, including the classic “Sammy Spider’s First Hanukkah” by Sylvia A. Rouss. There are also lots of Hanukkah books available through the Whatcom County Library System.
Hanukkah in Bellingham
If you’d like to celebrate Hanukkah in community, the Rohr Center for Jewish Life will host a public Menorah light on Dec. 26. It takes place at Bellis Fair mall (1 Bellis Fair Parkway), and attendees can enjoy donuts, latkes and music.
Congregation Beth Israel is hosting a Hanukkah drive to benefit homeless youth; those interested are encouraged to bring in scarves or $25 Fred Meyer gift cards to the congregation’s social hall.
Still, Hanukkah has much less liturgy and rituals than other Jewish holidays. The holiday is about spending time and sharing food with loved ones, and reflecting on light in the dark.
Meadow Bursztyn, a member of the local Jewish community, said, “Hanukkah is a time to focus on possibility, to widen the inner landscapes of dreaming and imagination … It’s a time where I can turn to my ancestors and call on their strength, faith and magic to light my way in winter’s darkness.”
Celebrating Hanukkah at home
The menorah, specifically called a Hanukkiah, has a spot for nine candles — one used to light all the others. In my home, we place a family Hanukkiah in the middle of the table. We also have individual Hanukkiahs; as a young adult, I was gifted one in the shape of weaved olive branches, which I still use today.
If you want to light your own Hanukkiah, the best ones can be sourced from Judaica stores both online and in-person — but in a pinch, Haggen Food & Pharmacy is selling expendable ones. Hanukkiahs are also a fun DIY project and can be created with various materials, from clay to metal. Village Books even sells a pop-up Hanukkiah with paper candles for children.
For candles, Haggen has both blue and rainbow-colored ones, and the Community Food Co-op has 100% beeswax and plant-based candles. Candles can also be purchased directly from Congregation Beth Israel.
Many North American Jewish families give each other presents on one or all nights. My own family gives each other small gifts during Hanukkah, but not every night; the gifts are meant to be meaningful rather than expensive. My grandma gifts my family a hand-painted or decorative dreidel every year, meaning I now have a dreidel for every year of my life — a unique way to look back at time.
Other Hanukkah traditions include eating oily food like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (similar to a jelly donut). Families may also make other traditional foods like brisket, matzah ball soup or kugel (a sweet/savory pasta dish).
A common and humorous refrain at Jewish tables is: “They tried to kill us. Let’s eat!”, as almost every Jewish holiday is connected to survival in some way. After our meals, my own family often stays in the living room and spends time together until the lights go down.
How to make latkes
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 russet potatoes, peeled
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons flour
- Half an onion, grated (more to taste)
- Peanut or vegetable oil to fry
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Finely grate your onions and potatoes. A grater is fine, but a food processor or blender can speed up the process.
- Wrap a towel around your grated potatoes and onions and squeeze the moisture out. Now, do it again. And again. The more you do it, the better chance of getting the perfect crispy latke.
- Mix in the beaten egg, flour and salt.
- Heat a generous amount of oil in a saucepan and form thin patties. Drop the patties into the oil to cook and crisp up.
Notes
If your latke mix isn’t sticking together well, throw in more egg or flour. As with most Jewish recipes, this is a shitteryne recipe: a Yiddish term equivalent to a “little bit of this, a little bit of that.” You can also bake latkes (though this is controversial in some families).
Latkes are traditionally topped with sour cream or applesauce. Once you’ve made a classic latke, feel free to experiment with toppings. I love sweet potato latkes, and one of my favorite combo toppings is vegan cream cheese, lox and pickles.
But please, whatever you do, note that latkes are potato pancakes, not hashbrowns. Do not put ketchup on them or risk being asked to leave the table. (I am only half joking.) Chag Hanukkah Sameach!
