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Published on 12/15/1999 All articles from this issue

Hanukkah celebration offers warmth on a cold night

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By Clyde Noel

Special to the Town Crier

The night was cold, but the singing and dancing strong, as the Los Altos Village Association sponsored the fourth annual Hanukkah celebration Dec. 7 in the downtown Community Plaza.

The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah - the festival of lights - is a family-centered holiday filled with sparkling candles, twirling dreidels and gifts.

Rabbi Sheldon Lewis of Congregation Kol Emeth in Palo Alto reminded the audience that Hanukkah celebrates the courage of a small band of Jewish freedom fighters, the Maccabees, and their victory over the Syrians more than 2,000 years ago.

"The practice of Judaism was strictly forbidden by the Syrians, from formal worship in synagogues, to day-to-day rituals such as circumcision of male children and maintaining dietary laws. The punishment for living a Jewish life was death," Lewis said.

When the Maccabees liberated Jerusalem, they found the Syrians had damaged the Temple.

The Maccabees wanted to re-light the eternal flame that burns in every synagogue, but as the story goes, they found only enough purified oil to light the lamp for one day.

Miraculously, the oil lasted in the lamp eight days, until more oil could be purified. That is why the holiday of Hanukkah lasts for eight days.

"Both my parents are Holocaust survivors, but they lost the rest of their family because they were Jewish," said Arthur Keller, a Palo Alto resident.

Kelley said that things are different now.

"Tonight we have an opportunity not only for being Jewish, but to be welcomed in our celebration of religion," he said.

Zvi Weiss, with his 2 1/2-year- old son Noah on his shoulders, said it is important that his children can celebrate Hanukkah in town as well as at home.

Rabbi Lewis used the leader candle to light the other candles in the menorah, representing the eight days the oil lasted in the Temple. The lighting of the menorah is the main portion of the Hanukkah celebration.

The celebration also featured a performance by the Congregation Kol Emeth Religious Children's School Choir singing "Ma'oz Tsur" and "Ner Li."

Jamie Schwartz, Sunnyvale resident and choir member, said, "It feels good and special to sing here. It's like doing something for God."