Chanukah dinner and children’s Bible stories for adults

Charles Flum, President

Come and join us on Saturday, Dec. 28, 5 p.m. at Cypress Woods Golf & Country Club for our annual Chanukah dinner. The order of the evening is food and schmooze, song and candles, and maybe even dreidel play. If you are interested in joining us for a fun time, go to naplesjewishcongregation.org to register and pay. You’ll be glad you did!

Lifelong Learning

Rabbi Herman has been conducting Lifelong Learning classes for a number of years. They are always well attended as he is a dynamic teacher who imparts much wisdom. If you would like to experience learning something new, come to the next lifelong learning: Children’s Bible stories for adults — Friday, Dec. 17, 5 p.m.

Do you remember having a favorite Bible story as a child? Was it the story of Noah and the ark? Or was it the story of Moses bringing about the 10 plagues upon the Egyptians? Or perhaps it was the story of Queen Esther saving the day and the Jewish people to bring about Purim? When you heard your favorite story, did someone explain to you what it meant?

Biblical stories have both simplistic and complex meanings. Sometimes the complex meaning has nothing to do with the one that you were told. Come and learn about some of these stories, including what they really mean and why they're in the bible. This class will open your eyes to ideas you never dreamed were in the Bible.

Registration is required if you are planning on staying for the dinner ($10) and services immediately following. Experience the warmth of a congregation which feels like family. Learn with us, eat with us and pray with us.

Some Chanukah trivia

Chanukah means rededication.

There are two theories for where the word Maccabee originated:

1) It’s the first letters of Mi Chamocha Ba’elim Adonai? meaning “Who among the mighty is like you, Adonai?”

2) Maccabee means hammer, derived from the Hebrew makav. Judah was given the nickname Maccabee because of his great strength.

The military victories of Judah et. al. is not mentioned in the Talmud because the rabbis were not happy that the Hasmoneans (who ruled Judea) were not of the house of David who the Bible said would rule forever.

Why eight days? Different reasons are given:

1) It took eight days to cleanse the Temple.

2) Sukkot was delayed until the month of Kislev when the Maccabees were fighting. Therefore, Chanukah was decreed to be eight days.

3) Eight iron spears were found in the Temple. They were used as candle holders. Therefore, one day for each.

4) The oil story was written 400 years after the Maccabees. It was the rabbis attempt to put God into the holiday as God is not mentioned in the Books of the Maccabees.

The School of Shammai said to light eight candles down to one. The School of Hillel said to light one candle increas ing to eight. Hillel is followed because in matters of holiness, one should increase, not decrease. One is to place the Cha nukiah (the type of menorah used for Chanukah) in the window to publicize the miracle of Chanukah. One may not use the light of the candles for any ordinary use.

Letters on dreidels for use outside Israel stand for “A Great Miracle Hap pened There.” Those for use in Israel have letters which stand for “A Great Miracle Happened Here.”

Happy Chanukah!