Happy Hanukkah

I haven't had a chance to update the blog recently because I was in Jerusalem and Bethlehem for the past five days for an Encounter trip, Shabbat, and the first night of Hanukkah. I took the midnight bus back to Ketura from Tel Aviv, so I've had about 3 hours of sleep and took a test in climate change at 8 am - just a disclaimer if this post is only semi-coherent. I will definitely write more about Encounter, which was an incredibly intense and amazing experience, but I want to start with something a little bit lighter...Hanukkah!

I had the pleasure of spending the first night of Hannukah in Jerusalem with my good friend Anna and one of her roommates. We found out that Chabad was putting together a hanukkiah out of 5,000 legos and we decided we couldn't pass up the opportunity to see it. Not only did they have a huge lego hanukkiah, they had free sufganyot (the famous jelly-filled doughnuts that Israel is known for during Hanukkah), and they were giving away hanukkiot to those who didn't have one. I've never actually been to a Chabad event before, so it was uncomfortable at first just to take the Hanukkiah, but Deborah insisted that I didn't have to pay for it. It's amazing how much free stuff Chabad gives out.

Along with putting together the hanukkiah (sort of pre-fab as it was already in sections) there was lots of entertainment for little children: magic tricks including swallowing a balloon, turning confetti into Hanukkah gelt, and dressing up in an inflatable penguin costume. Good times had by all.

We then went home to light and sing songs. They sell oil hannukiot in abundance in Jerusalem, so we not only had the typical cheap candles that everyone gets from Sunday school, but a real oil hannukiah. It was so beautiful to walk around the city because so many people put their hannukiot in the window or outside. I love how public the holiday is - something I've never experienced in the States.

I also learned a little bit of the halakhah surrounding the holiday. You are supposed to light where you sleep, so it was suggested that because I was actually going to be sleeping at Ketura, I should have someone light for me there, or to be thinking of me while they light so that I fulfill the requirement. I also lit in Jerusalem, but it is most important that it is done in your home or where you are staying.

There are three levels of fulfilling the commandment to light on Hanukkah. You really only need to light one candle each night. If possible, lighting a hanukkiah with increasing the number of candles each day is better. The third and ideal level, is where each person lights their own hanukkiah. I think this is mainly for practical reasons. If one can afford to have multiple hanukkiot, they should, otherwise, one per family is sufficient.

I'll let you know if there are any nice rituals that the Kibbutz performs. I do know that the huge hanukkiah on top of the mountain is lit each night. Hopefully I'll be able to get some good pictures of it.

Hag sameach v'shavua tov!

- M