Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson has asked Judith and Claire to include Hannukah thoughts as the predominantly Christian Holiday Season comes upon us. I thought I'd toss my two cents in as well, being a Jew myself.
As Claire has mentioned, Hannukah isn't traditionally a big holiday. In fact it's a minor festival. Everyone thinks its emergence is only commercial in nature. That's only partly true. Once you've spent a sad little American Christmas day as a Jewish kid in the 60s with Reform Jewish parents not tied to temple or tradition, all businesses closed, all gentile friends occupied in family festivities, you understand the reverence my generation has doled on the little Mennorah that could. So many other Jewish friends went the other way, abandoning the religion entirely except as a cultural identity. To me the saddest path.
I'm married to a Catholic, so to honor his heritage, we have kept the Christmas tradition. (As in, I do a killer tree.) But my daughter, who attended Jewish religious school and was bat mitzvah'd, gets equally excited about lighting our candles and eating latkes. And since we have created a strong "family" of Jewish friends, our Hannukah get-togethers are joyous, boisterous and without family dysfunction. How great is that?!
So that's my Hannukah story. And here's my gift to you. You've all heard it before. But when you listen this time, remember this was written by a little Jewish kid who felt isolated and worse, bored, on Christmas and its his gift to the rest of us who felt the same. (Please note, this is filmed off a television, but it is the debut of this song, and the clearest lyrics.)
Chag Chanuka Sameach!
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May '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
For a few years, my Catholic family hung a Star of David on the front of our house alongside the Christmas lights. Some of my sister's friends asked if we were Jewish.
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
That's sweet. My step-mother's Catholic church in New Orleans as mezzuzahs on all its doors and has a Passover seder. Not an uncommon practice in certain Christian communities, I understand. If we can get past ancient persecutions, we find more joy in commonality than in difference.
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
P.S. Aaron Miller is a very North American Jewish sounding name. Hmmmm...
Dec '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
Where did that tradition originate?
May '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
Christianity is essentially Judaism fulfilled. The main difference between Christians and Jews is that we Christians are waiting on the second coming of the Messiah and Jews are still waiting on the first.
We identified with the Star of David because we consider David a pivotal figure in our own history. My Catholic church sits nextdoor to a Jewish community center (the only one I know of in my area). Our communities used to meet for Passover, after celebrating separately. I don't know why that tradition ended; perhaps just scheduling.
My parents named all of their five children with Hebrew names. You can blame them for my Obama-like habit of indulging in 1st-person pronouns, because both my names mean "exalted" or "king." ;)
May '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
By the way, I don't suppose you know of some recipes which make unleavened bread taste great? Is there a rule against seasoning one's bread during Passover celebrations?
May '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
I have many Jewish friends that celebrate a secular Christmas. The tree, the presents, the whole works.
Irving Berlin's daughters recalled always having a Christmas tree growing up. It is thought that the composer of the world's most famous secular Christmas song used the festivities of the Christian holiday to mask his sadness. At three weeks old, Irving Berlin, Jr, his only son, passed away from sudden infant death syndrome on Christmas Day 1928.
What I always admired is the way the Jewish community steps up for their Christian brethren on Christmas. My sister was a nurse, and for years the Jewish nurses on her hospital medical floor would volunteer to work on the 25th so Christians could celebrate at home with their families.
May '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
A Jewish friend once explained to me that the great thing about matzos is that if you buy them pre-made and you run out, then you can always eat the cardboard box. Same great taste!
May '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
I find it both embarrassing and tragic that 50-100 years of misguided liberal Judaism have created so many generations of Jews who don't know or care what the various Jewish holidays are about. As Dennis Prager has often said, being Jewish is not "not being Christian."
Chanukah will never, and should never have the musical repertory of Christmas (it's maybe #10 on the list of Jewish Holidays; and only #4 or 5 on the list "happy" Jewish holidays), but in any case, here is a Chanukah song that's other than embarrassing; and a parody. Neither is Handel, or White Christmas, but still better than being pigeon holed with Adam Sandler.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv-7WdpB72o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJCSR4MuhU
Merry Christmas, and Hag Sameach חנוכה (starts Tuesday night)
May '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
@ParisParamus
Thank you for saying what I was struggling to say tactfully. I fear that many posting here as Jews would have been on the other side of the Maccabees war. With all due respect to Aaron Miller, above, while Judaism is not "not Christian," the concept of Christian being "Judaism fulfilled" is rather offensive to those who practice Judaism and believe that it is quite complete without re-writes.
I couldn't open the youtube links, but if either of them isn't the aish Hanukka in 8 songs it should be. Find it here: http://www.aish.com/h/c/mm/Chanukah_Rock_of_Ages.html
Also wonderful, last year's Maccabeats "Candlelight." This year's "Miracle" is good, too, but not musically much to my taste. I don't have YouTube access where I'm writing, so I can't link, but a search on "maccabeats" will find them.
May '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
Caryn, do I know you? LOL. The two songs were the Macabeat's parody
The Maccabeats - Hanukkah, and Miracle, by Matisyahu
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
Ah, what a lovely post, Denise. And now, may I ask a favor? I've always wondered what latkes are like, and I happen to have a daughter home from college who's in a baking mood--and has already had it about up to here with banana bread, muffins, and cupcakes. Could you post a latke recipe?
May '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
http://www.kosherblog.net/2006/12/13/potato-latke-master-recipe/
May '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
The latke recipe posted above is okay, but a bit of a fiddle. I just grate the potatoes and onions in a food processor, drain off the bulk of extra liquid, mix in eggs enough to hold them vegs together and season with salt and pepper. I don't use flour or matza meal. Then fry in olive or other vegetable oil till golden brown. Serve with apple sauce. I make it usually with golden delicious, cut up, seasoned with cinnamon and cooked slowly in a heavy bottomed pan. No added water or sugar needed. Just cook gently until the juices start to flow and then simmer till as soft as you like. The golden delicious are particularly good at turning to mush and are plenty sweet enough with no added sugar.
May '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
ParisParamus,
Fun! The Maccabeats really are brilliant. Did you check out the Hanukkah in 8 songs? Perhaps you could repost a usable link, unless the one I used above works okay. BTW, it's WAY funnier than the awful song parody Claire posted earlier.
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
I have a huge confession to make, Peter. I have made latkes from scratch a dozen times. Hours of grating potatoes. Dozens of rolls of paper towels to press the water out of them. And I have never found ones that are as savory, nor that hold their crisp as well as the frozen one from Trader Joes. Friday I fried up 10 boxes for an early Hannuukah celebration and they disappeared.
Just put them in 3-4 inches of hot canola oil still frozen, turn and pull the little suckers out when the edges are really crisp. Get yourself one of those fry screens for the pan. They spit. Let them rest on paper towels and pat. Lotsa sour cream and apple sauce and it's heaven. Great along side a meal of roasted chicken or lamb chops. You can't go wrong!
Too bad you don't live in my neighborhood. Most years I deliver plates of them to friends on my block. (They need to be hot.) Boy do I get Christmas cookies in return!
May '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
@Peter,
If your daughter wants to have some real fun (aka. make a big mess in the kitchen), have her try this traditional Israeli Hanukkah food:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sufganiyot-40003
I try to make them once during the holiday, but like anything deep fried, they make a mess. But, like anything deep fried...Yum! They're best eaten within an hour or so of making them, though.
Jun '10
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
I wonder who Peter has lined up to write about Kwanzaa?
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
Caryn: @ParisParamus
I couldn't open the youtube links, but if either of them isn't the aish Hanukka in 8 songs it should be. Find it here: http://www.aish.com/h/c/mm/Chanukah_Rock_of_Ages.html
Dec 18 at 2:15pm
I have to admit I enjoyed this, though cheesy. But I stand by Adam Sandler's Chanukah song for it's irreverence and contemporary stand to be proud to be Jewish. He is a very active member of my synagog. Not dropping names. Just saying he walks the walk and has a rep as a very nice guy.
Re: Some Hannukah Thoughts for Peter Robinson
Also...may I note that the other brilliant Hannukah food is donuts. Preferably jelly. Oil. You get the point.