Special
Features /December 2008-January 2009
Jewish Customs in America
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Susan Allen and Rabbi Bar Yaacov |
By Katie Schwendeman
When her two sons were younger Susan Allen would decorate her home with dradles to celebrate Hanukkah. The traditional Jewish toys were made out of cardboard, foil, or felt, because commercially made dradles were hard to find, she said.
But dradles weren't the only decoration in the Allen's home. Susan would also make
homemade Hanukia, or Menorahs to display around the house.
Now that her sons are in their early twenties Susan no longer decorates with homemade dradles or Hanukia. Instead of dradles made of cardboard, foil and felt Susan now has dradles made of china and silver. A total of 60 dradles can be found around her house, and no two are alike, she said.
Susan's family will begin celebrating Hanukkah on December 21 this year, which is the 25th day of Kislev according to the Jewish calendar. Kislev is the ninth month on the Hebrew calendar, and can range anywhere from the end of November to December.
Susan said Hanukkah is a minor holiday, except in America. "Really all that is required to observe this holiday is the lighting of the candles (or Hanukia) and saying a few blessings." On December 21 Jewish families will light a candle every evening for eight nights.
Hanukkah, or The Festival of Lights, is a holiday celebrating religious freedom. According to Susan, around 65 B.C. Romans forbid religious worship in Israel and desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem. "The Jews of the time under the leadership of the Maccabees started a war and fought for three years. They eventually won the war and won the right not to rule Israel, but to at least worship how they chose. It was the first time in history any group, any people fought for religious freedom," she said.
During Hanukkah Jewish families indulge in fried foods as a way of remembering when the Maccabees and the Jews were restoring the Temple after its desecration. "They were looking for oil for the Menorah, so we are paying attention to the oil," Susan said.
In particular, Jewish families typically feast on Atkes, which are
potato pancakes and Sufganiyot, which is a jelly donut. Both of these treats are cooked in oil. When her sons were younger Susan used to give them gifts on every night of Hanukkah. "A lot of [Jewish] families in America like to give their children gifts. This is just a family tradition, not a Hanukkah thing," she said. Now that her sons are older Susan allows them to give gifts on one night and receive gifts the rest of the nights. "We wanted them to learn to be able to give," she said.
Following the Jewish calendar also means celebrating the New Year early. For Susan's family, the New Year began on Rosh Hashanah, which was September 30 this year. "It's not a celebratory day the way January 1st is," she said. For Jews, the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are a time of reflecting and asking forgiveness. "We spend a lot of time in the synagogue and a lot of time reflecting on ourselves and our behavior." These ten days are also known as the Days of Awe.
Susan lives in Charleston, West Virginia and has been Jewish all of her life.
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