Lighting a Candle in the Darkness (With a recipe)

 Today, at sundown, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah starts.

This is a simplified explanation of the holiday, as told to a 12 year old modern boy. 

Darkness comes in many forms.  The original rebellion against the Greeks in the Hanukkah story was partially a rebellion against a religion being forced upon a people.  I love a quote from the story I linked to:  "We make light and tell stories when we are long on night and short on hope."

Today, religious intolerance is on the rise across our country, and the world.  We must never take our right to light our lights over eight nights for granted.

Some of our ancestors lit their Hanukkah candles or oil at a time knowing that if they were caught, there would be a severe penalty.  

But we are fortunate, in these times, that the Jewish people of the United States can still celebrate Hanukkah openly.

Where I live, near Binghamton, New York, Temple Concord has hosted a Hanukkah museum called Hanukkah House.  Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, Hanukkah House has been cancelled, but I wanted to share some photos from previous years.

The museum, as it appeared in 2017.  This is located in a historic mansion once owned by a patent medicine manufacturer.

Hanukkah menorahs come in many shapes and sizes.  Historic...

Whimsical...

...and traditional.

Tonight, I will think of the holiday as lighting candles or oil in the darkness.  My spouse is roasting a turkey, and we will enjoy potato latkes.  No parsnips this year, but here's a recipe spouse has made in the past.

Happy Hanukkah for those who observe.