We're into the double digits on our Advent Calendar, and we've finally reached one particular holiday celebrated around this period: Hanukkah this year begins at sunset today! To commemorate the occasion, here's evilphan telling us about her experience of Hanukkah and other Jewish celebrations.
Hannukah
I am not Jewish, but my son’s family are very much so. I got to learn about the traditions; holidays, food, weddings and death. I am including a article that explains Hannukah, along with some images.
My son’s family celebrated Christmas with me, as I have no family here, so it made me know the differences. Some of his family are very strict. One son wanted to marry a non-Jewish girl and was threatened with disownment, so he didn’t. On the other hand, my son’s grandparents are very involved with a “newer” type of Judaism, where they are very much laid back and even embrace open marriages.
Jewish people embrace family. We were all flown to a cousin’s wedding in Boston, everything paid for and we weren’t even in the wedding. They include the whole group in activates all day long. Then the wedding is so much fun! Not all somber like the ones I’ve been in and attended. They have so much rituals during the ceremony.
One thing is the most beautiful wedding vows.
It is displayed before and after the vows
A traditional Jewish wedding ceremony takes place under a chuppah (wedding canopy), symbolizing the new home being built by the couple when they become husband and wife
So many other things that are fun! Hannukah is a holiday that everyone meets and lights a candle for which every day it is. There is quite a ceremony. If you have a menorah, you bring it to the gathering and everyone says a prayer and lights the candle. If you aren’t able to make it to a gathering, then you light the candle yourself. Most of the time menorahs are kept in the window and left until it burns out. We had a huge window, so both our tree and menorah could be kept there.
There usually is one large party during this time. You eat a lot of Jewish food, which I learned to prepare and cook. Play games, tell family stories. I continued to attend these gatherings long after my son’s father and I split up. One thing we did was collect calendars for the upcoming year and exchange them.
When my son’s great grandmother passed, we were all flown to Chicago for the service. Jewish people wait a year for the headstone to be placed.
So a year after she died, we again were all flown for the placing of the stone.
I could go on, but hopefully this was a new experience to read about.
Here is a story that you can read about that tells the history of Hannukah
What is Hanukkah?
This is a excellent article written by the staff at The Week.
https://theweek.com/articles/885296/meaning-hanukkah
Direct Relief
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