HANUKKAH TRADITIONS
On the first night of Hanukkah, the head of the family lights the first candle of the hanukkiah (usually one per family), starting from the right with the shamash, the ninth candle of the hanukkiah placed differently from the others and made especially for that purpose. A total of 2 candles will therefore be lighted on the first night.
An additional light will then be lighted on each night, until the 8th night, with a total of 36 candles lighted throughout Hanukkah.
There is no mandatory festive meal for Hanukkah. Instead the custom of eating something fried, a reminiscence of the oil from the
Temple, has emerged throughout the ages. Ashkenazi Jews traditionally fried latkes, whereas for Sephardic Jews, beignets (doughnuts) were the customary main dish.
The dreidels were only popular for Hanukkah in the Ashkenazi communities: Jews in Europeans countries since the Middle Age always feared a pogrom, especially around Christmas Eve, and made the children stay awake later in case they should flee quickly. That is why playing dreidels or cards with them during Hanukkah nights became a tradition for them.
The dreidel has 4 sides, on each of which is written a Hebrew letter. Each letter is the first letter of a word of the phrase: “Ness Gadol Haya Sham”: A great miracle happened there.
An additional light will then be lighted on each night, until the 8th night, with a total of 36 candles lighted throughout Hanukkah.
There is no mandatory festive meal for Hanukkah. Instead the custom of eating something fried, a reminiscence of the oil from the
Temple, has emerged throughout the ages. Ashkenazi Jews traditionally fried latkes, whereas for Sephardic Jews, beignets (doughnuts) were the customary main dish.
The dreidels were only popular for Hanukkah in the Ashkenazi communities: Jews in Europeans countries since the Middle Age always feared a pogrom, especially around Christmas Eve, and made the children stay awake later in case they should flee quickly. That is why playing dreidels or cards with them during Hanukkah nights became a tradition for them.
The dreidel has 4 sides, on each of which is written a Hebrew letter. Each letter is the first letter of a word of the phrase: “Ness Gadol Haya Sham”: A great miracle happened there.
Our Family Traditions
When my parents and grandparents were growing up in Algeria, across the Mediterranean Sea from France, Hanukkah wasn’t a major holiday. They lit the Hanukkiah each evening while singing the Sephardic songs of Hanukkah, however at that time they didn't know of the toupie (the dreidel), latkes, and much less about giving gifts. Instead, as it is a custom to cook something fried, my parents would have as hors d’oeuvres some bestels (fried hors d’oeuvres stuffed with savory meat or tuna). These delicious triangular delicacies mean Hanukkah to me. We would eat them still hot with a little bit of lemon juice; my mouth waters just to think of it. Or they had what we call des beignets algériens (Algerian doughnuts) as a dessert, but at that time, Hanukkah wasn’t the big deal that it is today.
My parents and entire family had to leave Algeria in 1962 when the country became independent from France.
My sisters and I were born and raised in Lyon in the 1970s, a period of growing consumerism. Christmas became the huge commercial holiday it is today and poor Hanukkah, which is around Christmas, faded somewhat in comparison. I remember when we were young, we dreamed of copying Christmas, which seemed marvelous. The Christmas tree with the decorations, the very expensive presents that my classmates got, the traditional foods that the French people have for Christmas, like roasted turkey with chestnuts or the cake that looks like a Yule log, all that seemed to be inaccessible and fascinating.
My sisters and I were born and raised in Lyon in the 1970s, a period of growing consumerism. Christmas became the huge commercial holiday it is today and poor Hanukkah, which is around Christmas, faded somewhat in comparison. I remember when we were young, we dreamed of copying Christmas, which seemed marvelous. The Christmas tree with the decorations, the very expensive presents that my classmates got, the traditional foods that the French people have for Christmas, like roasted turkey with chestnuts or the cake that looks like a Yule log, all that seemed to be inaccessible and fascinating.
Compared to Christmas, Hanukkah seemed pitiful and I was ashamed to say that I didn’t celebrate Christmas. My mom often tells me the story of my six year old cousin in Paris who must have also dreamed of Christmas. He secretly bought a small Christmas tree that he kept hidden in his closet. He looked at it every day until my aunt found it.
Partly in response to these yearnings, but also to celebrate Hanukkah with more dignity, little by little we created another tradition. For example, the roasted turkey with chestnut has also become the traditional dish of Hanukkah among most French Jewish families. Also la choucroute alsacienne (Alsacian sauerkraut), a traditional Hanukkah recipe for French Jews from Alsace, is now a regular at our table too.
Partly in response to these yearnings, but also to celebrate Hanukkah with more dignity, little by little we created another tradition. For example, the roasted turkey with chestnut has also become the traditional dish of Hanukkah among most French Jewish families. Also la choucroute alsacienne (Alsacian sauerkraut), a traditional Hanukkah recipe for French Jews from Alsace, is now a regular at our table too.
We also receive gifts, and not only on the first night, but on each night of the holiday. Of course, the gift is often small, but the pleasure is always great. Last year, I offered to substitute the smaller gifts of my two oldest children, Rachel and Aaron, by giving them one bigger gift on the last night of Hanukkah. Both refused.
"You have to understand, Mom,"Rachel said, "that this is the joy of Hanukkah: We sing together the songs of Hanukkah, we fight for the privilege of lighting the Hanukkiah, we hide on the stairs while the gifts "arrive", and then we eat les bestels, still warm, that you have prepared."
Hearing these words was for me the best gift of all.
For more recipes for Hanukkah, please download my e-book (for only $ 1.49!) called French Jewish Recipes for Hanukkah
"You have to understand, Mom,"Rachel said, "that this is the joy of Hanukkah: We sing together the songs of Hanukkah, we fight for the privilege of lighting the Hanukkiah, we hide on the stairs while the gifts "arrive", and then we eat les bestels, still warm, that you have prepared."
Hearing these words was for me the best gift of all.
For more recipes for Hanukkah, please download my e-book (for only $ 1.49!) called French Jewish Recipes for Hanukkah
