MEMBERS OF THE COVES AT RIVER GARDEN SHARE FAVORITE HANUKKAH MEMORIES My childhood recollection of Hanukkah is that it was treated as a more serious holiday, with prayers over a menorah containing bright orange candles, some practical gifts for me [the only child] and a little gelt. Emphasizing the Hanukkah story with my children and then grandchildren gave meaning to the holiday. Shopping for each other and presenting the eight days of gifts for the little ones was fun. Family dinner and the Hanukkah play at Solomon Schechter school made for a celebratory week enjoyed by everyone. - Rhoda Kagan
Armed with two electric fry pans and a large quantity of Latke mix, we made our way to Congregation B'Nai Israel. We were very enthusiastic and began the chore of providing the main source of our celebration: Latkes. At one point a person’s head appeared at the kitchen door: It was a congregant with a complaint. Guess what? Apparently we were taking too much time and not producing the latkes fast enough! Would you believe?! - June Meinstein
I expect my memory of Hanukkah is a little different. As a Catholic, I attended a Brooklyn NY school where at least 90% of the students and teachers were Jewish. City Our closest friends and neighbors were schools could not shut down, so those of us Christians and we kids did all of the holithat showed up were regrouped into rooms days together. It was a wonderful way of by grade, with whatever teachers were sharing and learning about our customs. available. Of course, that was a blast! In the afternoon we all - Rose Lynn Plotkin gathered in the auditorium for a movie or something "educational." Sometimes we went home early. Then, when It is December in the Catskills Mountains all schools shut down for Christmas, we all got a break of New York and winter is in full swing. We again, including my Jewish friends. - John Donnangelo decided to have a Chanukah party at our little synagogue in the village of Fleischmanns. My husband and I volunteered to make Latkes for all who came.
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