CHANUKKAH IN AUSTRIA
We are a class of third-graders in a Jewish girls' school in Vienna. We celebrate Jewish holidays at our school, and Chanukka is the name of the holiday that falls in the winter time, near Christmas. Chanukka is not a major holiday like Rosh Hashana (new year) or Passover, but it is a holiday that children love especially. We celebrate for a whole eight days. Every night, the men and the boys in the family light a candlestick-holder called a menorah. Girls can of course also light, but they don't have to if they don't want to. On the first night, we light one candle. On the second night we light two candles. On the third night we light three candles, etc., until, by the last night, eight beautiful candles are shining. So why is there room for nine candles on the menorah? That is because we always use an extra candle to light the others, and then, rather than blow it out, we put it in the menorah as well. Some people don't use candles. They use olive oil instead. They fill up the little cups with oil, put in a wick, and light them.
After lighting, everyone sings holiday songs like "Maoz Tzur" and eat special foods like potato pancakes (latkes) or donuts. It is also customary to eat dairy dishes. An old traditional game which is played is called "dreidel". The dreidel is a top with four sides. On each side is a Hebrew letter which is the abbreviation for "A great miracle happened there".
That is actually why we celebrate Chanukkah today, because, a long long time ago, when Jews still had the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the ancient Greeks conquered the land and defiled the Temple. Defiled means that they made the Temple not holy. They also wanted the Jews to become like them and give up all Jewish customs. Through a miracle, a small group of Jewish men were able to re-win their land and the Temple and kick out the ancient Greeks. They wanted to re-light the great big menorah which was always lit in the Temple, but there was only enough oil to burn for one day and it would take at least a week to make new oil. By a miracle, the oil which could really only last one day, lasted eight days, enough time so that new oil could be made.
Elisheva Malowicki’s Class
European Jr. High School
Wien, AUSTRIA
