Chanukah Planner December 1, 2016 a Section B
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1908 2016 108 years Chanukah Planner December 1, 2016 A Section B JHV: MICHAEL C. DUKE Twin siblings Benji and Isabelle Berzin, 9, worked together to kindle a 5-foot-tall chanukiah at Beth Yeshurun Day School on Nov. 28 in preparation of Chanukah. PAGE 2B JEWISH HERALD-VOICE DECEMBER 1, 2016 HAPPY CHANUKAH HANUKAH By MICHAEL C. DUKE | JHV C A-Z ANTIOCHUS IV Epiphanes ruled the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire from 175 to 164 B.C.E. Under his oppressive rule, Jewish religious practices were outlawed in Eretz Yisrael and Greek idols forcibly were installed in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. These actions provoked a Jewish revolt in 167 B.C.E. The first source to mention the mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah lights is the BARAITA. In it, the rabbis debate the order of candle lighting: “According to Bet Shammai, ‘On the first day, eight lights should be kindled; thereafter, they should be progressively reduced’; while Bet Hillel held that ‘on the first night one light should be kindled, thereafter they should be progressively increased’” (Scholium to Megillat Ta’anit; Shab. 21b). The name, CHANUKAH, often is translated as “dedication,” from the root, chet-nun-chaf. Alternatively, Chanukah can be read as a Hebrew acronym, meaning “Eight candles, as determined by the House of Hillel,” based upon Hillel’s opinion that a new candle should be added each night. JHV: MICHAEL C. DUKE DREIDEL is a four-sided top used BYDS student Jackie Berzin, 8, kindles the Chanukah lights. on Chanukah to play a game of chance. The dreidel’s sides are marked with the young Maccabee threw himself under the posterity that they should keep a festival Jewish life, the Maccabees fought back Hebrew letters: nun, gimel, hay and shin. beast and thrust his sword into its soft on account of the restoration of their and triumphed. More than 2,000 years In Yiddish, these letters spell out the rules underbelly, killing both the elephant and temple worship for eight days. And, from later, the modern State of Israel lights of the game: nit (nothing), gantz (all), himself. Eleazar’s heroism was commemo- that time to this, we celebrate this festival, the way for Jewish culture and freedom halb (half) and shtell (put). rated on a Chanukah coin issued in 1961 by and call it ‘Lights.’ ” around the world. the Bank of Israel. ELEAZAR was the youngest of Judah The “money” that’s used in the dreidel JUDAH Maccabee was the third son Maccabee’s five sons, who led the Jewish Chanukah is known as the FESTIVAL game is called GELT. Today, Chanukah of the Jewish priest, Mattathias, who killed revolt against Antiochus IV. As the Syrian- of Lights. This name is derived from gelt takes the form of chocolate coins, a Greek official after the latter attempted Greeks laid siege to Jerusalem in the the account given by the first-century wrapped in metallic foil. Milk chocolate is to force Mattathias into making a sacrifice Battle of Beth-Zechariah, Eleazar spotted historian, Josephus. He wrote that the preferred, since Chanukah is considered a to a pagan god. In response, Antiochus IV a war elephant bearing the royal seal. The Jewish people “made it a law for their dairy holiday. launched a wave of reprisals, which then sparked a Jewish uprising. Judah led the HASMONEAN is the family name successful Maccabean revolt. He is lauded as of the Jewish rebels who led the uprising one of the great warriors in Jewish history, against the Syrian-Greeks. Better known alongside Joshua, Gideon and David. as the Maccabees – a name derived from the Hebrew word for “hammer” – they Chanukah observances begin on the struck a hammer blow against their 25th day of KISLEV. This date coincides Give the gift of relaxation. oppressors. with the liberation of Jerusalem in 165 B.C.E. and the rededication of the Holy Under Seleucid occupation, ISRAEL Temple. was being purged of its Jewish language 3 1 - HOUR MASS A GES and customs. To save Israel and preserve See A to Z on Page 4B FOR a total Give the gift of relaxation. savings up to Custom massage services from Massage Heights can $ help reduce stress and lower anxiety levels that are often 150 heightened around the holidays. This year, give the gift of relaxation with our limited time offer and show your loved ones how much you care. Buy three 1-hour massages for only $199 and share the many benefits of massage with those on your shopping list. 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Holcombe the Holidays massageheights.com massageheights.com MARQE111316 Find a good deal more at redplum.com. Distributed as part of RedPlum® MARQE111316-111516.indd 2 10/27/16 2:39 PM MARQE111316-111516.indd 1 10/27/16 2:39 PM PAGE 3B JEWISH HERALD-VOICE HAPPY CHANUKAH DECEMBER 1, 2016 your KOSHER grocer Happy Chanukah Get a Get a FREE Item FREE Item with the with the purchase purchase of this item of this item Look in-store Look in-store for coupon o er for coupon o er $ 48 $ 09 4 ea. 1 ea. Gefen ¢ Osem Noodle Soup ea. Osem Bissli Snack 2.3 oz. 99 Croutons 2.5 oz. assorted varieties Soup Mandel assorted 14.1 oz. varieties Get a FREE Item with the purchase of this item Look in-store for coupon o er $ 29 Get a FREE Item ea. Get a FREE Item with the purchase 5 with the purchase of this item of this item Look in-store for coupon o er Osem Look in-store for coupon o er Reismans Consommé Osem Chanukah Mix, 14.1 oz. Instant Soup $ 49 assorted varieties $ 29 Cookies ea. 2 pk., 1.88 - 2.2 oz. ea. 13 oz. 5 assorted varieties 1 All Kosher Wines Plus save Shmaltz an additional Hanukkah % 10% o $ 97 o Beer ea. 10 when you buy 4 pk., 12 oz. 9 Retail refl ected on tag. any six (6) bottles or more! Available at your Braeswood @ Chimney Rock Houston H-E-B Prices good thru Tuesday, December 27, 2016, while supplies last. ©2016 HEB, 16-3017 PAGE 4B JEWISH HERALD-VOICE DECEMBER 1, 2016 HAPPY CHANUKAH A-Z From Page 2B the restoration of Jewish liberty in Eretz Yisrael. LATKES are a traditional food eaten by Ashkenazi Jews on Chanukah. The Antiochus IV UNDER-ESTIMATED ingredients include grated potato, onion the will of the Jewish rebels. Initially, and egg, fried in olive oil – as a reminder only a small army of Syrian-Greeks was of Chanukah’s oil miracle – and served dispatched to put down the revolt. Early with sour cream, applesauce or other Maccabee victories, however, prompted fruit preserves. Antiochus IV to then amass a much-larger force. Strength in numbers still was no Jews kindle the Chanukah lights match for the Maccabees, who eventually using a special, nine-branch MENORAH. regained control of Jerusalem and purified The chanukiah holds one candle or oil the Holy Temple. wick for each night of the festival, plus a shamesh, or “helper,” candle used to light Candles are placed in the Chanukah the others. Chanukah is meant to be a menorah from right to left and are lit from public celebration, so Chaukah menorahs left to right, according to widespread often are placed in the front windows of custom. However, Jews who follow the Jewish homes. tradition of the VILNA Gaon, the great 18th century Jewish legal scholar and sage, light The Hebrew letters on a traditional their Chanukah candles from right to left. dreidel, besides representing the rules of the game, spell out the phrase, NES gadol The Battle of WADI Haramia, in 167 hayah sham, meaning: “A great miracle B.C.E., was the first hand-to-hand combat happened there.” Dreidels from the fought between the Maccabees and the Syrian- modern State of Israel, however, replace Greeks. Judah Maccabee led a band of Jewish the shin with a pay, declaring: “A great rebels to the northern part of Shomron, miracle happened here.” where, with the element of surprise, Judah and the Maccabees destroyed the much-larger When the Maccabees regained Seleucid army. control of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, they discovered that Despite the success of the Maccabean the pagans had defiled most of the revolt, Jewish liberty in Eretz Yisrael would be olive OIL needed to light its cande- short-lived. Internal divisions and the invasion labra. The small remaining supply of imperial Rome sent the Jewish people back was used at the Temple’s rededi- into EXILE for nearly 2,000 years. This exile cation. Rather than burning for a few came to an end, however, with the reestab- hours, as expected, the oil miracu- JHV: MICHAEL C.