InSanity~Normalize, Don't Stigmatize Mentall Illness.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Happy Chanukah!


Get your dreidles* ready. Chanukah's about to start. The word, "Hanukah/Hannukah/Chanukah...", Hebrew for dedication, can be spelled over a dozen different ways. So don't worry about misspelling it. Just enjoy the food and fun.

Tonight sparks our eight day celebration of the Maccabees' (small Jewish army's) victory over the evil Antiochus (Assyrian/Greek ruler) in days of 'ole We're talking really 'ole, nearly 200 years before Jesus' birth.

At the battle's end, the Maccabees entered the Holy Temple that had been savagely destroyed. One tiny bit of oil remained, and this drop miraculously provided sufficient light for the Maccabees to rebuild and rededicate the Temple.

In a world where intolerance and oppression thrive, we are wholeheartedly grateful for our freedom to worship -or not worship- as we choose. The Jewish people pray and work towards tikkun olam, a healed world, one at peace. On Hanukah, as during many other Jewish holidays, we rededicate ourselves to this cause.

Of course, no Jewish holiday is without yummy eats. Chanukah involves deep-frying; we use lots of that holy oily stuff called oil. To get a taste of Chanukah, I highly recommend picking up a Potato Pancake/Latke Mix at your local supermarket. You can find these in the Ethnic Foods section. Manischewitz and Streit's are two brands, but it's all good. Just add water and eggs, then get cooking. Mix in a few onion shards, and they'll look homemade. I like to douse mine in the sour cream-apple sauce combination. Of course, I've even enjoyed chocolate chip latkes, but that's an acquired taste.

Whatever your practice, may you appreciate life's miracles this holiday season and in the new year.

HAPPY CHANUKAH to those joining the festivities! 
_____
*Dreidles are the spinning tops we play with on Chanukah. Each side has a Hebrew letter, and each letter means something different (e.g., "Win half the pot" or "Lose one"). Play with pennies or, better yet, candy.

28 comments:

  1. Happy Hanukkah! (And that's how it's spelled on my wall calendar.) Eat some extra treats for me, Robyn.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy Hanukkah as well Robyn. You're right that the spelling doesn't really matter that much so long as everybody's having fun at the end of the festivities!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I remember singing The Dreidel song in public school:
    “Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel…I made it out of clay…”

    HAPPY CHANUKAH – and may we all work toward a healed world.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yeah spelling isn't really telling, it's what one does and that is my two cents worth, almost, because I still have to say Happy Hanukkah or Chanukah or Hanchanukah, see fixed the problem right there..haha

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy Hanukkah! May your night be wonderfully bright and each day of your celebration that follows.

    XOXO

    ReplyDelete
  6. Robyn, thanks for teaching me some Hebrew words and alternate spellings. Happy Holidays young lady!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Playing for candy is much better than playing for pennies. Pennies don't stretch as far as they used to.
    Happy Hanukkah, Robyn!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Happy Chanukah!! :) I hope you enjoy!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happy Hanukkah!!! May this holiday season and this next year bring you and your family all good things, my friend. You deserve the very best. :)

    Man I love potato pancakes!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Are potato latkes like potato pancakes. I have made them and those are good. Now, I need to go find a recipe and see. Happy Hanukkah!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'll add my Happy Chanukah as well... and a Merry Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Trader Joe's carries frozen potato pancakes if you need a quick fix, but they're not as good as homemade. Happy Hanukkah Robyn! Julie

    ReplyDelete
  13. Damn, that's a lot of saturated fat. Are there Hanukkah light dishes for Jews with heart conditions?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ruth, yes they're the same thing. It's also a popular German dish. Let me know if you make them. They are SO yummy.

    Melissa, tell me about it. I made a full batch that could've fed 12 (very tiny) people but only fed this one.

    Empty, how could I forget about Trader Joe's? Thanks. I've never tried theirs. I'm sure they are good. In the past it's been too much of an ordeal to make them by hand, but they do taste incredible.

    GB, there are ways (e.g., 0 calorie cooking spray) but those ways might be considered sacrilegious.

    Love for a warm and healthy season, all,
    xoRobyn

    ReplyDelete
  15. It's a pity that life is just too short to experience all the wonderful cuisines and customs of this world. Happy Hannukkah!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Happy Hanukkah to you, my dear friend. I hope life is treating you well. xoxoxo

    ReplyDelete
  17. I've blogged about Chanukah too but your blog made me smile as usual. We have lots of donuts here as well as potato latkes. I'm going to have to go on a serious diet in the new year. Happy Chanukah to you too.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Happy Chanukkah! What is a festival without greasy and sugary foods? a boring one if you ask me...have 8 or is it 10 days of fun, bliss filled , but no salsa or wax trapeze holidays (hope I am right). The Jewish festival of light just as Diwali is ours.
    I will see you around new year then, expect for centus on saturday, plan to take a bloggy land break. Be well friend.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm certainly not one of the chosen, but Happy Hanukkah to you as well! One thing we all seem to have in common this time of year. IT'S FOOD!!!
    Thanks Robyn!

    ReplyDelete
  20. happy hanuka =)i hope you enojoy it =)

    ReplyDelete
  21. My partner is a terrible Jew.. lol.. her mother is very disappointed. haha

    Happy Chanukah to you Robyn and Merry Christmas.. have a lovely relaxing time... and hope all your dreams come in 2012....
    ps now i want to try some of those pancake thingys... off to hit my partner up to make some ..haha

    ReplyDelete
  22. trekking your amazing blog! keep blogging! happy holidays!

    cheers!
    ...TREK...

    ReplyDelete
  23. Happy Chanukah to you and your loved ones, Robyn! I hope you are having a wonderful holiday. :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Happy belated Hanukkah, robyn!

    thanks for being you!

    lots of love.
    betty

    ReplyDelete
  25. Mele Kalikimaka! Merry Christmas in Hawaiian!

    Hope you toast the new year with lots of love and joy!

    Love, your sister in the "other" paradise

    ReplyDelete