The Festival of Lights

This year Chanukkah for us seems to be pretty rushed. Hurry up and light, open gifts, eat and get the kids to bed. At around 4:30p we can already hear the Lone Ranger music playing mentally in the background as we try to get everything done with out a melt down. But last night we had a moment of peace. We went our for pizza as a special treat for Channukah and for the first day of the new hebrew month. On the way home we stopped to look at all the Menorahs (Chanukkiah) lit in the windows and in door way entrances. It is traditional for a Channukiah to be lit in a window or in the entrance of a door so that all can see it who pass by. Since we live in Jerusalem and there are numerous aparment buildings, one tradition is to place the Menorah at the entrance of the apartment building, each family having their own and it is put in a glass case kind of like a fancy aquarium. People also put them in their windows too. Some families also have a tradition of lighting one Menorah for each member of the family so one window can be crowded by 6 or 7 or more Channukiahs. Walking home it was so peaceful and beautiful to see all the lights glowing and seeing families gathered around lighting candles. S and I had fun looking to see who could find the next place with a Chanukkiah in it. It reminded me of all the years of going to look at holiday lights with my family back home. Jerusalem is such a busy place but it seemed for just that moment in time that all was still and peaceful and pure. Happy Holidays no matter what you celebrate!