Hanukkah is almost over, the seventh candle will be lit tonight. It’s a very different holiday in Israel than in the US. In Israel it’s a minor one, meaning no days off work. There are a few parties – on the kibbutz one for the children and another one for everybody else. There are jelly donuts, chocolate truffles, potato latkes and, let us not forget, the ritual lighting of the candles. But that’s pretty much it, and it’s pretty drab.
In the US Hanukkah is the Jewish Christmas and actually piggy-backs (you should pardon the expression) on the Christian holiday. Houses are decorated with lights inside and out. There are sparkly decorations everywhere. And parties, let’s not forget the parties with all the fare listed above plus eggnog and fruitcake, my personal favorites. Carolers roam the neighborhoods singing for Jews and Christians alike and while they don’t usually know the dreidel song, “Jingle Bells” is ecumenical enough.
In general Israeli holidays could use some zhuzhing up. I miss the glitzy winter blow-out and the warm, fuzzy euphoria that went with it. As joyful as it was, it also had a jubilant denouement: New Year’s Eve. But that’s another story.
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