CELEBRATING HANUKKAH

8 THINGS TO GIVE FOR HANUKKAH

HBY SARAH COTTRELL anukkah, or the Festival of Lights, is probably the most well-known Jewish holiday in the U.S. For eight nights, usually between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Jewish families will light candles, eat traditional foods (yummy latkes!) and enjoy family time together. This year, Hanukkah begins the evening of Dec. 18. Gift-giving for Hanukkah is a uniquely American twist that began to appear in the mid-19th century but has only recently become popularized. Gifts tend to be family oriented, with presents that could be considered an heirloom, a fun family experience or something that everyone can appreciate.

If you are looking for a fun Hanukkah gift, check out these eight classic ideas for anyone on your list. 1. DREIDEL SET If you’ve never played a game of dreidel with a group of kids, you are missing out! This fun game will have you yelling out Hebrew letters, swapping chocolate coins (called gelt) and laughing for hours. A gorgeous, handmade heirloom-quality dreidel for displaying during Hanukkah makes a lovely gift. And for kids, you can find plain wooden or plastic dreidels that they can decorate and some that are even fillable to stuff with sweet treats. You can find light-up dreidels for the youngest on your list that will spin and sing with whiz-bang entertainment. 2. CANDLES A Hanukkah menorah has nine candles, and on each night of Hanukkah, you light one more candle than the night before. For a thoughtful gift, you can find handmade candles in beautiful colors to help add some sparkle to the Festival of Lights. Not sure how many to buy? Don’t worry. Most Hannukah candles come in packs with enough candles for all eight nights.

3. CHARITY Many Jewish families (and communities) will spend one of the eight nights of Hanukkah giving back to their community in some meaningful way; this could be through volunteering, donations, or other acts of kindness that help others. Consider donating to a beloved charity or rounding up some friends to volunteer your time—you can find many great opportunities at volunteermaine.gov.

4. COOKBOOK It’s not Hanukkah without latkes (recipe on page 14) — or sufganiyot, challah, matzo ball soup, brisket. Every holiday can easily be described by the foods we eat to celebrate them, and Hanukkah is no exception. The home cook in your life will love Phaidon’s “The Jewish

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FUN HANUKKAH TRADITIONS

BY SARAH COTTRELL

HANUKKAH CELEBRATES the miraculous story of oil. In the second century BCE, the Maccabees led a successful revolt against the Syrian Greeks who had destroyed their holy temple. In the aftermath, the temple had only enough oil to light the sacred temple menorah for one night, but a miracle happened, and it lasted eight nights, giving the Jewish people enough time to produce more oil.

To celebrate that miracle, we have eight nights filled with meaningful traditions. Here are a few you might not know about:

LIGHTING THE HANUKKIAH A Hanukkah menorah is called a hanukkiah, and they are usually placed in front of a window. Each night of Hanukkah, one candle is lit using a “helper” candle called the shamash. By the eighth night of Hanukkah, nine branches of the hanukkiah will be lit, spreading their light of hope out into the world. It is not uncommon for everyone in a family to have their own hanukkiah, making the Festival of Lights truly brilliant.

EATING FOODS MADE WITH OIL In honor of the miracle of the oil lasting for eight nights, we eat foods that feature oil. A few traditional Hanukkah foods include potato latkes (fried, shredded potato pancakes,) sufganiyot (jelly-filled donuts) and rugelach (chocolate and nut-stuffed pastry).

SINGING SONGS Hanukkah songs are a lot of fun, especially when you gather with friends and family. Sure, you might know the classic “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel” song, but have you heard “Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah” or Peter, Paul & Mary’s “Light One Candle”? Grab a guitar (or Spotify) and belt out your fav tunes with loved ones.

PLAYING DREIDEL While the Maccabees were plotting a revolt, the Syrian Greeks were busy oppressing the Jews by forbidding them from studying their sacred texts. So, they invented the dreidel game as a cover. Any time a Greek soldier came upon a group of Jewish people studying Torah, the men would quickly hide their texts and throw a dreidel down, tricking the soldiers into thinking that the Jews were gambling. Today, kids play dreidel and “bet” with chocolate coins called gelt.

EXCHANGING GIFTS Exchanging gifts on Hanukkah is a relatively new practice, and not all Jewish families observe it. But for those who do, it is becoming customary to give one gift for each night of Hanukkah, with at least one of them tied directly to charity.

TRADITIONAL GREETINGS During Hanukkah, you can say “Happy Hanukkah!” or you can try one of these traditional Hebrew greetings: “Chag Sameach” means “Happy Festival.” “Hanukkah Sameach” means “Happy Hanukkah.” “Chag Urim Sameach” means “Happy Festival of Lights.” In Hebrew, the “ch” sounds like a guttural sound but can be pronounced with a hard “h” if it is too hard to make the throaty sound.

Cookbook,” which highlights recipes from Jewish communities worldwide. Another excellent pick is Jake Cohen’s “Jew-Ish: A Cookbook; Reinvented Recipes from a Modern Mensch,” which has blown up on social media thanks to his delightful contemporary takes on classic Jewish treats, including a brilliant latke recipe you’ve got to try.

5. MENORAH Did you know that it is not uncommon for everyone in a Jewish family to have their own menorah to light on Hanukkah? One quick look at Google, and you’ll find a breathtaking array of menorahs for everyone from kids to sports fans, the devoutly religious, and more. There are so many to choose from that it would be easy to find a beautiful menorah to fit your gift recipient’s personality. Just be sure to buy a menorah with nine branches, not seven. Hanukkah requires a candle for each of the eight nights, plus the shamash or “helper” candle.

6. CHALLAH Making challah bread is an ancient tradition, but it has become wildly popular in recent years thanks to foodies on social media. It may look like a complicated braided bread, but challah is one of the easiest (and most fun) to make. (You’ll find a vegan challah recipe on page 18 of the flipped Bangor Metro magazine.) Consider giving a challah breadboard and knife set, a decorative challah cover, or even a gift basket of challah and other goodies from companies like Challah & Company.

7. JEWELRY If you’re looking for something personal to give, jewelry is always a great bet. Consider a few traditional symbols popular for Jewish gift-giving, including the star of David, the tree of life or a hamsa symbol

SERVE POTATO PANCAKES FOR HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS

COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE

POTATO PANCAKES are traditionally served during Hanukkah celebrations. This dish is often referred to as “latkes,” a Yiddish word that loosely translates to “little oily thing.”

Potato pancakes are not exclusive to Jewish celebrations and cuisine. Germans have their own variation called “kartoffelpuffer” that can be served with sour cream, applesauce or smoked salmon. The Irish have “boxty,” which may be made with a combination of shredded potato and mashed potato before being fried.

Many potato pancake recipes are quite similar. They involve only a few ingredients and fry up in a flash. Some chefs recommend draining the shredded potato prior to cooking so that the pancakes will fry up crispy and not be soggy or break apart. Enjoy this recipe for “Latkes,” courtesy of AllRecipes.com.

LATKES (POTATO PANCAKES)

Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

3 large potatoes, peeled and shredded 1 small onion, shredded 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, or as needed 1/2 cup vegetable oil INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the potatoes and onion into a bowl, and stir in eggs, salt and flour as needed to make the mixture hold together. With wet hands, scoop up about 1/3 cup of the mixture per patty, and form into flat round or oval shapes. 2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, and gently place the patties into the hot oil. Fry until the bottoms are golden brown and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes, then flip with a spatula and fry the other side until golden. 3. Line a colander or strainer with two paper towels, and drain the cooked latkes in the colander. Serve hot.

with a star of David inside. You can even customize a design at your favorite local jewelry store to incorporate birthstones or precious metals.

8. FUNNY GIFTS Who doesn’t love a sense of humor? Hanukkah is a great time to give the gift of laughter with a touch of practicality. Think silly socks, a coffee mug with Yiddish insults, or even an ugly Hanukkah sweater. One quick Google search for funny Jewish gift ideas will take you down a hilarious rabbit hole of cheeky ideas perfect for the whole family.

A few faux pas to avoid when gift-giving for Hanukkah are items with matzo (that’s a different holiday!), red-and-green color schemes and using Christmas wrapping paper.

But remember, no matter what you choose, if the gift comes from the heart, it is already perfect. Happy Hanukkah!