Happy Hanukkah

Hi everyone!  I just wanted to wish you a Happy Hanukkah.  Even if you’re not Jewish…. enjoy it. I suppose this shouuld be my favorite Jewish holiday, as I was born during Hanukkah.  The 1st thing I despise about it is that in America, no one knows how to spell it.  Is it Channukah? Hanukah?  Hanukkah?  And many more variations.  It’s always on a different time of year, since we Jews have an older calendar than y’all.  None of the calendars I use (Palm Treo, computer, etc) use that calendar system… but I know it exists, ’cause Hanukkah is always on a different time.  Anyways… it’s known as the Festival of Lights, and that’s why my name is Ori, which means “My Light” in Hebrew (unless you misspell it– then it’s “My Skin” or “My Leather” which is great if you’re going to a Fetish Club.).  Of course, I bring much light and joy to my parents’ lives, as well as many others… I bring other things too… but that’s life.

Wikipedia says (and my personal insights afterwards):

From the Hebrew word for “dedication” or “consecration”, Hanukkah marks the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by the forces of the King of Syria Antiochus IV Epiphanes and commemorates the “miracle of the container of oil”. According to the Talmud, at the re-dedication following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate fresh olive oil.

Hanukkah is also mentioned in the deuterocanonical books of 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees. 1 Maccabees states: “For eight days they celebrated the rededication of the altar. Then Judah and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel decreed that the days of the rededication… should be observed… every year… for eight days. (1 Mac. 4:56–59)” According to 2 Maccabees, “the Jews celebrated joyfully for eight days as on the feast of Booths.”

The martyrdom of Hannah and her seven sons has also been linked to Hanukkah. According to the Talmudic story^[4] and 2 Maccabees, a Jewish woman named Hannah and her seven sons were tortured and executed by Antiochus for refusing to worship an idol, which would have been a violation of Jewish law.

WikiPedia aside though…

I am not a fan of the Holiday Season, as it is so commercialized.  It’s not about the amily, and time together.. it’s about the presents.  At least, that’s what it feels like.  All you hear are ads for Christmans sales, etc… This year didn’t seem so bad. Maybe ’cause I don’t watch TV, and I don’t really listen to the radio (the occasional channel surfing / NPR when my brain gets bored of audio books). I also didn’t go to the mall this year, so I haven’t had to suffer through those ravenous crowds and elevator music versions of popular holiday (Chrustmas) tunes.

Why do I think that it’s all about commercialism?  Well… American kids would always ask me what I got for Hanukkah… I mean, if we have 8 days, and we get presents on each, than our holiday must be better.  I agree… we don’t have a lactose intolerant burglar try to sneak down our chimney while his livestock crap on our rooftop, and his sled breaks the shingles…. but the fact is that while y’all got a Sony PS3 (or whatever’s hot these days), we’re not getting that many hot gifts each day.  It’s small gifts… chocolate… things like that.

Once we moved to the USA from Israel, our gifts started getting bigger.  I’m just not a holiday kind of guy though.  I don’t like the pressure of having to get or be given gifts.  Tonight I was by myself…. Itay (my little brother) was getting ready for work in Gainesville, FL.  Mom and Dad were in Boca Raton, FL, and Barak (my older brother) was with his fiancee and step-children in Albany, CA.

It was beautiful… Barak connected with Itay & the parents on 3-way, and Itay 3-wayed me in.  Barak’s step-kids had their 1st Hannukah I think (they may’ve done it last year– but it sounded like their 1st)-  we sang through the crappy reception.  We lit the Chanukia (Hannukah candle-holder… see image at start of blog post) on our different sides. My folks gave me a nice one back in 2005 when I moved into my place on Ft. Lauderdale Beach.  I don’t recollect using it before.

It felt really special, and really warmed my heart that my family spent time together tonight, even though we’re spread across the USA.

Barak got a puppy, which he named Oscar — after our grandfather on mom’s side (RIP).  I haven’t seen pictures, and Barak didn’t get to tell me about the dog.. mom & dad did.  Barak & I have been playing phone tag.

I had no desire for gifts- getting or giving.  Being on the phone with my family was my gift.

I was late to lighting my candles, as I was hunting down Jelly Doughnuts.  Dunkin Donuts was completely out of them! I tried a few locations.  Kroger’s (Grocery store) had Krispy Kreme donuts, so I grabbed those, and hauled ass back home. As I got in my car, my family called.  While we were singing Hanukkah songs, I quietly muttered the prayers again (I said them out loud when they lit their candles), and lit mine.  My Chanukia is one thing that I’m not getting rid of with all my stuff.  Personally, I would, but it would break my parents’ hearts I think.

I just remembered while typing this… this one year, in Israel, I was reaching over for some doughnuts, and my shirt caught on fire as I reached over the Chanukia.

This other year, Barak & I went with Alex Livingston to his family’s cabin in the mountains in Breckenridge, Colorado.  We skied/snowboarded, made hot cider, made jelly doughnuts and potato pancakes (Barak made them… He’s the one who has Mom’s recipe).  That was a neat Hanukkah.

One year, Mom & Dad surprised us and gave us all checks for $1,000.  I thought it was too much, and didn’t want to accept…. they said the rule was that we had to spend it on SOMETHING… we couldn’t just deposit it.  $1,000 doesn’t buy you that many lap dances!  I’m kidding… what did I get that year?  I can’t even remember– it was probably something computer or camera related.. that’s all I ever spend money on.

Oh yeah! Sidetrack– December 2003.  I was in Israel.  I took this “Birthright Tour” — this company gives you a free trip to Israel (normaly over $1,000 just for the flight) for 2 weeks, complete with tours of the state, hotels, foods, nightclubs (gotta pay for your own drinks– though… day #1 was the day after my birthday — we left the USA on my birthday, it’s a long flight – so everyone bought my drinks for my birthday…. well… I started with a Long Island Iced Tea, and so that’s what everyone got me.  I woke up the next day, all refreshed, and stretched, and yawned… and there were people in my room.  And everyone was like “holy shit! You’re alive!” “ummm.. yeah… why wouldn’t I be?”  “You don’t remember last night???” hmmmm… turns out that I had forgotten that I had been vomiting blood all night, after I had vomited up the 14 long island iced teas… oopsy! Happy Birthday, right? ), and much more.  For $50  I was allowed to change my return flight, so I stretched my trip out an extra 2 weeks, so I can visit friends and family.

While on the tour, they took us to where the Macabis had dug all these underground caverns, and we got to spelunk down that. It was pretty scary- which was of course awesome.  I think I may have footage of that somewhere.  They were clever folk.  It took a lot of hiding to beat the Romans, and they did what it took. We were also taken to the site of the Holy Temple… though… that’s in Jerusalem, and there’s arguments over who gets access to what parts of the holy sites there.

I’m clearly not spiritual or religious, so I gotta say that I don’t believe or care about an oil can lasting for 8 days.  I also think the songs are silly.  And this year, because of my step-niece / step-nephew, we also sang them in English… which was weird.  It’s funny as hell though– my little brother always says “watermelon watermelon watermelon” — because if you don’t know the words to a song, you can just say that, and it looks like you’re mouthing the right words.  So… this year, when we sang in English, I kept saying “Avat’ee’ach” — which is Hebrew for Watermelon

Anyways– got to celebrate with my family, and not feel alone.  My doughuts were not home made, and I did not have potato pancakes at all.  More than the holiday, I’m excited about being in Austin next week.

I gave away a lot of my stuff today…. but that’s a whole other blog post