Hannukkah more than popular song portrays
Hanukkah isn’t just a song by Adam Sandler. As many may know, it is a celebration of Jewish freedom.
Nov. 30 marked the first day of Hanukkah this year for Jewish communities around the world. The eight-day holiday will last until Saturday, Dec. 7.
Guy Serbin, a graduate student in soil science, is one of a few Jewish students at Utah State University. Serbin said even though the holiday is widely recognized as a major Jewish holiday, it is actually one of the minor holidays in the religion.
“Other holidays like Rosh Hashanah are more important,” he said.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are part of the Jewish High Holy Days which are usually celebrated in September or October. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and is celebrated with family gatherings and prayer.
“Hanukkah has had to compete with Christmas in America so it became bigger than the others,” Serbin said.
According to Holidays.net, Hanukkah is the celebration of the Jewish victory over the Syrians. After many years of fighting and oppression the Jews reclaimed the temple in Jerusalem. They then cleaned the temple and rededicated it. Part of the dedication involved lighting an oil lamp, the flame of which should never be extinguished. They only had enough oil to burn for one day, but miraculously the oil lasted for eight days.
Hanukkah, or Festival of Lights, is celebrated to mark the victory of the Jews over the Syrians and the miracle of the oil.
“To celebrate, we light a candle on a Menorrah-Hanukkah each day of the holiday,” Serbin said.
Other traditions during this holiday include potato pancakes and jelly doughnuts.
“We eat fried foods because of the significance of the oil,” he said.
For those in the United States, it is also traditional to give and receive gifts during the holiday, Serbin said. But the gift-giving in Israel usually involves Gelt, or chocolate coins.
Serbin said being Jewish in Utah is quite different than what he is used to because he grew up in a very strong Jewish community in Philadelphia. He also lived in Israel.
“I don’t have any problems here,” he said. “But it is kind of difficult being an outsider sometimes. Everyone Copy Ed 12/3/02 here? her is friendly though, which helps.”
Serbin said he goes to Salt Lake City to meet with others of his faith because there aren’t many other Jewish students at USU.
“They have a stronger community there and more activities,” he said.
For more information about Hanukkah or the religion visit www.utah.edu/hillel or www.holidays.net/chanukah/index.htm
–jacobomoon@cc.usu.edu