PunkTorah

Independent Jewish Spirituality

Everything You Need For Hanukkah

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It’s almost Hanukkah! Or is it Chanukkah? Anyway, it’s the Festival of Lights, and you’re rummaging all over the internet for cool Hanukkah crafts, Hanukkah recipes and of course the “how do I light a menorah” question.

Well, look no more, because it’s all here at PunkTorah.

JEWISH LEARNING: First, get in the spirit of Hanukkah by reflecting on our Hebrew month of Kislev. PeelAPom aka Ketzirah has two amazing article: one on Kislev and rededication, as well as the Hanukkiah.

#THROWBACK: Here’s a couple of cool blast-from-the-past media experiences you’ll love: the Chanukkah podcast, and Hanukkah is 62 seconds. It’s old school PunkTorah at our finest (and most bearded).

NOM NOM NOM: Of course, we know you’re here for Jewish recipes. Here’s Garlic Latkes with Fire Roasted Apple Chutney, and Rena’s homemade jelly doughnuts.

KIDS: Make a Hanukkah watercolor lantern to brighten up your home!

Oy, Revolt! Channukah and the Story of the First Punks by Joedah Maccabi

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oy revolt! cover photo

Hello all, sorry about the delay in writing but I’ve been quite busy with university. So without further ado, let’s get to my theory of Jews being the first punks.

If we look at all the various cultures that Judaism has encountered throughout its history, Pagan, Egyptian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Greek, Roman, 21st century secularism. Yet throughout it all, Jews, for the most part. resisted any changes or demands.

Unless it was Halakhah (Jewish Law) or was necessary for their survival and continuation, it was simply rejected and the tribe rolled on.

So how does this fit in with Chanukah? The Maccabees were a group of Jews, that could see that Hellenistic culture was attempting to “socially airbrush” Jewish culture out of existence.

This social airbrushing would have made sense as a war tactic, because given the fact that this was a people that had made it past so many adversaries they knew that oppression and combat alone wouldn’t have won.

Instead, they combined oppressive laws such as the forbidding of Jewish worship and keeping kosher under penalty of death, with the second option of assimilation as a Greek citizen, thus giving the Jews an ultimatum: to end 1000’s of years of practice and tradition and risking their life, in return for a relatively comfortable existence.

But, just as many Jews had done throughout the history, the Maccabees said no and rebelled against this. The reason they did this is because they knew long before the Magna Carta and long before the declaration of human rights, that the right for future generations to be different was something that couldn’t just be discarded.

So to everyone on Punk Torah I say, keep being different, be proud of being different and keep fighting to be different!

Chanukah Sameach/happy Chanukah !

Kislev: ReDedication

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Tishrei 5773 began at sundown on November 14, 2012.

I know, we’re just starting the month — not even Thanksgiving and I’m about to talk about Hanukkah. What? Well, the whole month of Tishrei is a month that allows us to make Hanukkah into something that is actually meaningful — and even important.

Hanukkah is important. That’s right. I’m saying it.Hanukkah is important. It’s not just a “me too” holiday of modern American/Western Jewry so we don’t feel bad that we don’t get Christmas. The proximity and importance of Christmas is a factor in why it is important today, but not the only reason. I wrote about why Hanukkah is important last year, and that’s not really what this is about. But to move forward with the rest of this post, we all need to just accept that Hanukkah is important.

All on the same page? Great! Moving on.

Kislev [Read more…]

Hanukkiah: Symbol of Kislev

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In thinking about Kislev, I went right to the dreidel and the Hanukkiah.  I decided that if I had to pick one, it’s the Hanukkiah (but I may explore the other dreidels later in the month!)  The Hanukkiah is the nine-branched menorah that we light on Hanukkah.  Even though we generally just call it a menorah, not all menorahs are for Hanukkah!  The menorah, which is an ancient symbol of the Jewish people is actually seven branched.

If the menorah is considered  “the most central role of all the sacred vessels, for it is the symbol of light,” and a symbol of spiritual illumination — then it’s safe to assume that this is also the role the Hanukkiah plays.  Hanukkah is a strange holiday because it’s not only post-biblical, but also two holidays smooshed together.  I guess we have a lot of holidays that are two smooshed together, though.  Most commonly Hanukkah is the holiday that celebrates the victory of the Maccabbees over the Greeks, and the “miracle of the oil.”  It’s also a Winter Solstice (Tekufat Tevet) holiday, that acknowledges the darkness of the year and returning of the light.  That’s actually found in ancient midrash, it’s not just some modern “new agey” thing.  It’s even one of the stories I included in the Hanukkah Haggadah!

The lighting of the Hanukkah menorah offers wonderful opportunities for spiritual refreshment and renewal.  This year, toss away the annual debates over whether or not Hanukkah is important or just a reaction to Christmas.  Don’t worry about the ethics of celebrating the victory in a war (and that the Maccabees were total zealots, who probably would have killed many of us too…).  Embrace our own holiday of lights at its root level — light.

What do you want to light up?  What areas of your life, your heart, your soul need light?  Dedicate your entire Hanukkiah to bringing light into an area in your life.  Let each candle represent a step along the way, and watch the light grow over the eight days!  Take this time to rededicate yourself — to whatever you need to rededicate yourself.  Bring back the light in your own life, and rejoice in our very special holiday of lights!

Ketzirah is a Kohenet, Celebrant, and Artist. Her mission is to help others experience the best life possible by connecting with the Divine presence, physical resources, creative expression, and communal ritual experience.

Originally posted here: Hanukkiah: Symbol of Kislev | Peeling a Pomegranate http://www.peelapom.com/wheel-of-the-year/chanukah/hanukkiah-symbol-of-kislev/#ixzz1fPdj3kkP

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