Hanukah

What would a stay in Israel be without celebrating Hanukah?  We were invited to the home of Eran and Naama Hayet on the second night of Hanukah.  Eran is the Associate Director of the Jerusalem Center and lives in Modi'in, a 45 minute drive from Jerusalem.  Their daughters Noa, a videographer in the army, and Hadas, who is Lisa's age, graciously hosted 11 playmates.  Kent Jackson and Jeff Chadwick were experienced Hanukah guests, but this was our first time at a "real" family Hanukah celebration.

We arrived at 5:45 and walked up stairs past potted herbs to a warm, bright two-story house with a terraced yard.  The kids immediately found the swing hanging from a tubular steel sukkah and entertained themselves with a hammock, trampoline, and soccer ball while the grownups chatted.

After socializing, we gathered around a table and watched Hadas and Lisa light candles on a pair of Hanukiah as the family sang traditional songs of blessing.  Next came more songs, Sevivon about a spinning dreidel and Maoz Tsur or Rock of Ages (below).  

MAOZ TSUR
Click to hear song on YouTube

Ma'oz tsur yeshu'ati
Lecha na'eh lesha be'eh'yach
Tikon beit te-fi-la-ti
Ve sham toda neza'beh'eh'yach

Leh et tachin mat be-yach,
Mi tsar ham'na be-eh-eh-ehyach
Az egmor beshir mizmor
Chanukat hamizbe'eh'yach
(repeat last two lines)

Rock of Ages let our song
Praise thy saving power
Thou amidst the raging foes
Was our sheltering tower.

Furious, they assailed us,
But thine armour veiled us.
And thy word broke their sword
When our own strength failed us.
(repeat last two lines)

Then the Hanukah Menorahs were placed in the windowsill. The children got to paint wooden tops and pots made of clay. 

We all ate cauliflower, potato, and sweet potato latkes (click here for recipes). There was also yogurt and little smoothies (kinda like Danimals). For dessert we had donuts filled with jelly, chocolate, and halva. We hadn't seen any donuts here until Hanukah, and now they are everywhere!

 

Everyone enjoyed the evening and we were all sad to leave this fun family--tears were shed as the young ones bid adieu to Noa's Playmobil knights and castle. Hadas saved the day and ended the tears by handing out chocolate coins as we departed. 

Besides the wonderful social, cultural, and worshipful experience of Hanukah, the events commemorated at Hanukah played a pivotal role in the prelude to Christianity.  Had the Maccabees not revolted against Antiochus in the intertestamental period (2nd century B.C.), the Syrian ruler would have succeeded in obliterating every trace of Jewish culture and covenant, and, some1, including Jeff Chadwick, assert that there would have been no Jewish community in Nazareth nor Bethlehem into which the Savior could have been born.  The letters on the dreidel stand for "nes gadol haya sham," or, "A great miracle happened there."   The military victory and preservation of the Jewish people is a great historical miracle, and yet the holiday is named "Dedication" in honor of the spiritual miracle, the multiplication of oil to complete the rededication of the temple.  May the miracles all around us, great or small, remind us to rededicate ourselves to the best and the brightest lights we can!  Hag Sameach !