Chanukah 2012

         Today is the 5th night of Chanukah. It is evident to me that Chanukah is a time of contemplation. I tend to ritualize the holiday and take stock of my situation in life.

          I remember Chanukahs of years gone by. Our family avoided the exchanging of presents. We kept our celebration focussed on the lighting of candles, praying and singing together, and eating traditional foods, like potato latkes and suvganiot (jelly donuts). The reminder of the miracles that happen in our lives, even those that we forget to consider, was, intentionally included in our gatherings.

       Of course, extended family members just couldn’t hold back with the presents, and several of them sent or gave our kids Chanukah gelt (money) as a gift. So, when Chanukah was over, we would gather the kids and drive over to Toys “R” Us. Each child got to buy something he/she wanted, and also, spent half the money collected to buy a toy for a distressed child. On our way home, we would stop at the Women’s Shelter in our area and hand over the toys! I appreciate that our children grew to practice this with ease. There was never thought of ‘keeping it all for myself’. And, as the children grew, their ‘giving’ spirit grew bigger with them.

          Our family hosted the Gellman/Applebaum Chanukah each year, which was really the only time that the whole family gathered together in celebration.

          In 2003 Paul and I travelled to Israel with our 4 youngest children, our daughters. It was Chanukah when we arrived in Jerusalem and the essential memory I have of that time was walking in the streets of the holy city and seeing a constant display of Chanukah lights in the houses that lined the residential streets of the community. Menorahs of all designs sizes and materials are publicly displayed in every window we pass. It is a most beautiful sight, enhanced even more by the quiet, subtle, spiritual energy that exudes from the ground of the city! That year, we all lit our candles together hugged by the Jewish community that surrounded us outside of our hostel and into the villages all around. There is an embrace that happens for me in Israel like nowhere else. I experienced that during that Chanukah 2003.

        Last year, Paul and I were in Guatemala. Our first weekend in Guatemala City was with a community of Jewish people with whom we, over the 3 months we were there, developed an emotional and spiritual connection that will be life long. Adat Israel (previously Casa Hillel) is a community of Latino people who have adopted Judaism as their own spiritual preference. Many of them were brought up in various other religions, especially Catholic, and were seeking something more personally meaningful and relevant for themselves. Each found Judaism as the ideal way of religious expression. Once they ‘found’ each other, they established a community. They learn together, pray together, share weekly services together and celebrate holidays together as a family of converted Jews. Paul and I spent several weekends (Shabbatot) with Casa Hillel during our 3-month stay in Guatemala. Chanukah was our inaugural experience with them. It is memorable, and, this year, I am thinking deeply about them.

 

          In Guatemala, Paul and I lived in San Marcos, a small Mayan village situated on Lake Atitlan. San Marcos is one of many villages encircling the lake, each exuding a different energy and a variation in vibe. We connected strongly with a hostel called Del Lago where we spent a lot of time, playing music, playing with locals, learning Spanish and feeling close to Mayan culture. There we spent the first night of Chanukah last year. An Israeli “expat” and I used the community kitchen to fry about 150 latkes that we brought over to the local centre to share with others. We lit Chanukah candles, sang traditional songs in Hebrew and English, and shared the stories related to Chanukah. It was a blast!

        This year, we lit our first Chanukah candle with our son and grandchildren in LA. We are in our yurt on Gabriola. Using Skype we are able to light the candles, sing the prayers, even a special Shehechiyanu, and sing Chanukah songs. The times change, no doubt, and practices do differ, but all in all, Chanukah is a holiday about dedication, education, and miracles. I’m up for it all!!!!

                   Happy Chanukah to all, and to all, a good night.