The Hanukkah Lesson

          Growing up, I belonged to one of the few Jewish families in my town. I’ve become rather used teaching   my non-Jewish friends the traditions and beliefs of Judaism. One of my favorite things to do is to bring my non-Jewish friends to my family’s annual Hanukkah party.

Over the weekend, my roommate, Danielle, and my friend, Lauren, decided to come with me to New York and attend the Hanukkah party. Since they’re both Christian and haven’t really been exposed to Jewish culture before, I decided to give my friends a lesson in Hanukkah.

Latkes

When I think of Hanukkah, my grandparents immediately come to mind. Let me start with my blatantly Jewish Safta (grandmother). My Safta has the thickest Israeli accent, it sounds as if she just came off the boat from Israel. The best way to describe my Safta… Dr. Ruth. She’s a very tiny, petite woman, with blonde hair, small eyes that smile behind her glasses, and has does not have filter when it comes to talking about inappropriate things. She also has mastered the art of 'Jewish guilt' to the point where she could probably teach a course in it. Although, I must say the woman sure can cook! During the Jewish holidays, you can find my Safta in the kitchen with a glass of brandy in one hand, and a wooden spoon in the other. I don’t know what she does or how she does it, but the end result is a delicious traditional Middle Eastern meal that you’re taste buds will never forget. Safta is famous for her mouth-watering Latkes. Over the years, the demand for her incredible Latkes has grown outrageously at our Hanukkah parties, because no one can get enough of them. This year, my Safta made a record-breaking 30-pounds worth of latkes.

My Saba (grandfather) also has a heavy Israeli accent and frequently makes terrible grammatical errors, which has caused many people to scratch their heads in the past. My Saba is the type of man who often feels the need to comb over the mere three strands of hair on his balding head. He is a humble and quiet man, only because he can barely get a word in with my chatty Safta around. When he is able to get a word in, it’s usually a witty one-liner that has us all laughing hysterically. After meeting my grandparents, I think Danielle and Lauren were a bit overwhelmed.

The clock hit 4:00pm. One by one, our family and friends, both old and new, began piling through the door. Soon our house became more crowded, louder, and definitely more fun. I decided to teach Danielle and Lauren how to play Dreidel, a traditional Hanukkah game. “Dreidel, is pretty much gambling for kids,” I said. “We each get a collection of chocolate coins, otherwise known as Hanukkah gelt. First everyone needs to put one coin in the middle. Then we take turns spinning the dreidel. If it lands on ‘Gimmel’, you get to take the entire pile of gelt in the middle. If it lands on ‘Hay’, you get to take half of the pile. If it lands on ‘Shin’, you need to put another coin into the pile. Finally, if it lands on ‘Nun’, you don’t take anything and you don’t give anything.” Once my friends got the hang of it, the game of dreidel grew rather intense. The game grew even more intense, and we all became bitter when my eight-year-old cousin joined the game and spun a ‘Gimmel’ every time it was his turn. In retrospect, our competitiveness and bad-sportsmanship with an innocent eight-year-old may have been a tad bit inappropriate and pathetic. But anyways, dreidel was a big hit, especially with the girls.

After our friends and family gathered around and we lit the Menorah, we then introduced my family’s own Hanukkah party tradition. For 25 years, we have had our guests write their name, the date, and a little personal message on a strip of paper, and we then attach it onto our Hanukkah Chain. The chain has become our special and most valued decoration during Hanukkah, since it contains memories of our dearest family and friends, some who are no longer alive today. The Hanukkah Chain has become so long, it circles around the perimeter of our living room twice!

I watched Danielle and Lauren proudly decorate their link to the chain. I could tell they felt touched to be a part of our family, our tradition, and experience a culture so different from what they are accustomed to. I think it’s safe to say my Hanukkah lesson was quite a success, since the girls already confirmed that they’re attending the ‘Blum Hanukkah Party’ next year.