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Day 9 ~ Hopeful About Hanukkah

December 09, 2004

Interestingly enough, I found out I am Jewish because of today's animation. After its first appearance in the Advent Calendar, I was talking to my aunt on the phone and she up and says, "Well, it's very interesting you included Hanukkah because you're Jewish... did you know that?"

This was complete news to me.

"Your great Uncle Jeff researched your father's family tree years ago, and he traced it way back to a Spanish Jew who converted to Catholicism. Her name was Mary Elizabeth Lazarus. She was your Great Great...I don't know how many 'Greats' Grandmother."

Gee, you never know what you might find out by opening yourself up to another culture. Could be, you discover they're just like you. Could be, they ARE you! I love coincidances, and I thought it was abundantly cool. I had just researched the holiday and already knew what a Maccabee was, so I wasn't starting from ground zero.

Maccabeans = Good. Greco-Syrian King Anitochus Epiphanes = Bad.

King Epiphanes persecuted the Jews, committing the worst of all insults – placing a statue of Zeuss on the altar of the holy temple in Jerusalem. Needless to say, this didn't go over too well. It was sort of like inserting Spongebob Squarepants into the Holy Trinity – which of course, meant Epiphanes was in for a Maccabean mess of trouble.

Long story, short: Against enormous odds, the Macabees were victorious over Epiphanes, and when they won back the temple, there was only one day's worth of purified oil to light the menorah. (New oil would take a week to prepare.) According to tradition, the menorah miraculously continued to burn for an additional 7 days, which is why we have Hanukkah. Eight candles, one for each day of miraculous light.

I also found out it's nearly impossible to misspell Hannukah. My "goy" friends pointed out I had spelled it two different ways, to which I replied, "Well, now that I'm Jewish, I know there are sixteen different spellings. I'd love to schmooze, but have some oil to heat up and potato pancakes to fry... Oy!"

(Just in case you're wondering: Channuka, Channukah, Chanuka, Chanukah, Chanuko, Hannuka, Hannukah, Hanuka, Hanukah, Hanukkah, Kanukkah, Khannuka, Khannukah, Khanuka, Khanukah, Khanukkah, and Xanuka. The holiday is definitely user–friendly... a little web design humor.)

So, as you can see, it is fitting to include Hanukka here in a place that I hold so close to my heart. Mary Elizabeth Lazarus celebrated the coming of light into the world both as a Jew and a Christian, and now so do I. { more here }

Posted by vincent at December 9, 2004 06:26 AM

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