Chanukah piece for Free Local News Magazine in Edgware
Chanukah 2017 piece for Local News Advertiser
As the second week in December arrives, Jewish families around North-West London and across the Diaspora will be quietly and busily preparing for our important festival now in the Jewish calendar, Chanukah or Hanukkah. Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, begins on Tuesday 12th December ending on the evening of Wednesday 20th December. Or in the Jewish calendar, commencing on 25th Kislev for eight days.
Coloured Chanukah candles, already appearing in the Jewish retailers near me in Edgware, will be excitedly stocked up with by households even as I write this piece and Menorahs will begin to get fetched down from their dingy storage cupboards where they spend the rest of the year, given a dust and polish and readied to take centre stage for the eight days duration of the festival.
As we light each candle with the Shamash, or helper, nightly on the Menorah throughout the festival, we are reminded of the Chanukah story, Judah Maccabee and the miracle of the oil in the temple that lasted not for the one day but for eight days. We will sing “Maoz Tzur,” “Hanerot Halalu” and Jewish children around the world will get together with siblings or friends and spin their dreidels frantically to “S’vivon Sov, Sov, Sov.” We will eat foods fried in oil, fish, salt beef, potato latkes and sugar-coated jam doughnuts or Sufganiyot. Luckily, we don’t miss out either on the present giving to each other over the eight nights, with chocolate money or Gelt traditionally exchanged amongst children in their communities. I can remember receiving a “top” present then seven smaller gifts on the other nights – it was great as a child. Chanukah certainly has it all as a festival with its fun, food and traditions. I certainly didn’t feel as though I missed out when I was younger and still don’t!
Celebrating Chanukah in London is a true joy with a range of community events to rival the packed calendar that you find currently in our city. Communal Chanukkiah lightings pop up around the Capital from West Hampstead to Wimbledon, the largest being outside Golders Green station. Indeed, I believe that a Muslim London mayor Sadiq Khan will be lighting the first candle of this year’s famous Trafalgar Square menorah, which must be a first! I can recall first attending when Boris Johnson was mayor with a friendly, welcoming atmosphere and with people of all faiths in attendance. Free doughnuts were even handed out to the crowd.
Try and go along and experience it for yourself. Also, I’d recommend checking your local listings for other Chanukah events in your area and around our great capital city!
So, whether you will be celebrating Chanukah or Hanukkah next month with your friends and family across London and however you choose to celebrate this magical Jewish festival, I wish you all a peaceful and happy one!
Further information on Chanukah food:
A nice link to a recipe to make Sufganiyot or Jelly Donuts by Claudia Roden. There are lots more variations to be found online.
https://www.myjewishlearning.c...
Both Sharon’s bakery and Grodzinski bakery in Edgware sell doughnuts in the lead up to and during the eight nights of Chanukah. Daniel’s bakery in Temple Fortune for tasty fresh doughnuts is also highly recommended as a popular destination.
