Festival of Lights: Hanukkah celebrations remember miracle

By: GARY WARTH - Staff Writer | Saturday, December 24, 2005 7:07 PM PST ∞

The dawn's early light will shine on Christian families gathered around trees and exchanging gifts Sunday morning, while Sunday night's setting sun will glow on Menorahs being lighted by Jewish families remembering a miracle 2,170 years ago.

Christmas and the first night of Hanukkah coincide for the first time in 46 years today. The two holidays often are mentioned in the same breath and Hanukkah sometimes is misunderstood as a "Jewish Christmas" where gifts are exchanged, though historically the two have little in common.

"It is the holiday season, so it's on everyone's mind," said Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein of Chabad of Poway. "That's certainly a time to think of the various holidays."

Falling on the same day for only the fourth time in 100 years, Christmas and Hanukkah are especially linked this year, but joint celebrations of the two already had emerged in recent years. Characters on the television show "The O.C." merged the holidays in a "Chrismukkah" celebration the last two seasons, some restaurants are offering special "Chrismukkah" menus this month and the Web site www.Chrismukkah.com even sells cards for the fictional holiday.

Ed Case, publisher of Boston-based InterfaithFamily.com, called the merge a bad idea because it contradicts the very meaning of Hanukkah.

"The whole idea of Hanukkah is to maintain a particular tradition and not blend in the majority culture," he said.

Besides, he said, Hanukkah is not the Jewish equivalent of Christmas.

"Hanukkah was never a major holiday, and the gift-giving was minor," Case said.

On the other hand, Case said many Americans have never even heard of Hanukkah, so the attention on "Chrismukkah" has helped spread information about the actual holiday.

Hanukkah always has been a celebration to be shared with the public, Goldstein said.

"This is the only event that our sages have instituted that we do outside, in the public area," he said. "Years ago, we used to light Menorahs outside so people leaving the marketplace would see the Menorah and think of the miracle."

Chabad of Poway will continue the tradition Monday with a sunset lighting of a 6-foot-tall Menorah on the second floor of the Westfield North County shopping center in Escondido.

The story of Hanukkah begins more than 2,100 years ago, when Antiochus IV reigned over Syria. Antiochus, who wanted a common religion, removed the high priest Yochanan from the Temple in Jerusalem and replaced him with Yochanan's brother, Joshua, a Hellenist who used the office to spread Greek customs.

After a rebellion, Antiochus massacred Jews, suppressed Jewish laws and ordered an altar to Zeus erected at the Temple. Judah Maccabee led a rebellion against Antiochus, and in 165 B.C. the Temple was liberated. As they went to light the Menorah for the Temple's dedication, they found only a small cruse of oil bearing the seal of the Yochanan. That small amount of oil miraculously burned for eight days.

"The whole concept of Hanukkah was not just a physical victory, but a spiritual victory," Goldstein said. "Syrian Greeks were trying to assimilate the Jewish nation to worship their idols and follow in their ways. They were seeking their soul conversion, which is even worse than physical war."

Lighting and publically displaying the Menorah during the eight days of Hanukkah is an affirmation of that spiritual victory and symbolically demonstrates the victory of lightness over darkness, Goldstein said. The center candle used to light the other candles symbolizes how a person can light the lives of other people, he said.

Chabad of Poway will have public Menorahs at Albertson's and Ralphs in Rancho Bernardo and Ralphs in Carmel Mountain.

Presents are not usually exchanged during Hanukkah, though on the fifth night there is a tradition of giving children gelt, or Hanukkah money, used in playing the game of dreidel.

Besides the Menorah-lighting at Westfield North County, several public Hanukkah celebrations are planned in the area.

Congregation Kehillas Torah will hold a Hanukkah Extravaganza from 4 to 6 p.m. today in the Spyglass Room at Doubletree Resort, 14455 Penasquitos Drive. Cupcake-decorating, games, food, prizes and the building of a 6-foot Menorah are planned.

Chabad of Poway will hold a Hanukkah Wonderland from 4:30 to 7 p.m. today at 16934 Chabad Way in Poway. The event will include a Menorah-lighting, food, carnival booths, a giant dreidel spin, latkes, face-painting, floor art and an 18-foot slide.

In Carlsbad, a Hanukkah celebration is planned 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday in front of Anthropologie in the Carlsbad Forum at Calle Barcelona and El Camino Real.

In Oceanside, the public is invited to helped build a giant Lego Menorah starting 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Oceanside Civic Center, 330 N.Coast Highway.

In Temecula, a community Menorah will be lit at 5 p.m. Monday at the Temecula duck pond, corner of Ynez and Rancho California roads, and children will sing songs of Hanukkah at 5 p.m. Thursday at The Promenade, 40820 Winchester Road.

Contact staff writer Gary Warth at gwarth@nctimes.com or (760) 740-5410.

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