Hanukkah - The Feast of Dedication

Although we're not Jewish and are most definitely Christian, we try to celebrate many of the Biblical Holidays.  Although they are Jewish holidays, all of them have a Messianic message and we celebrate them from that context.  I'll fully explain that Messianic context in a minute.  Tonight was the last night of Hanukkah.  It is an eight day feast.  Hanukkah is the Hebrew word for "dedication" and it originally celebrated the rededication of the Temple to the Lord after the Gentiles desecrated it.

It was desecrated when Antiochus Ephiphenes offered a pig on the altar and converted the Temple into a shrine to Zeus and forbade the practice of Judaism.  The Jews fled but then a three year revolt by the Maccabees ensued and they finally overtook the Syrian forces, but they found the Temple burned out and in disrepair.  They rebuilt the altar and according to Jewish tradition, they found one small jar of oil for the Golden Lampstand.  There was only enough oil for one day, but miraculously it burned for eight days, hence the 8 day celebration.

This is celebrated today by lighting the menorah by first lighting the center candle, called a 'servant candle' and using it to light one additional each day until on the final night, all eight candles are lit.   We do this to remember what a great God we serve.


Lighting the Servant Candle

Our special menorah was brought to us by my Grandmother, who visited Israel.  So here is how we take a Jewish holiday and see Christ in it.  Messianicminutes.com explains, and I paraphrase, the 'servant' candle is Jesus.  He sits above us, yet came to serve.  We get our light from Him!  We should, "Let our light shine, right?"  Now, just as the Temple in Jerusalem, we were made for God's holy purposes, but, due to sin, our 'temples' have been desecrated.  Just like the Maccabees' revolt, God used bloodshed (of His Son), so we might be re-dedicated unto Him.  With the miracle of Jesus, we need not walk in darkness, but in light.  At this Hanukkah season, let's re-dedicate!  

 In addition to lights, there are traditional games to be played.  The dreidel is a top with four sides with a Hebrew letter on each side.  The letters are the first letters in the phrase in Hebrew for "A great miracle happened there" in reference to the oil lasting for eight days. 

The dreidel

The game is played with gelt, or chocolate coins.  We didn't have enough chocolate coins so we substituted pennies for some.  Each player puts a coin in the pot and then each player spins the top. If the letter, nun, lands up, nothing happens.  If gimel, the player gets everything in the pot, if hay, the player gets half the pot and if shin, the player has to put a coin in the pot.


The gelt

We like to learn about new things and try new foods.  One of the foods traditionally eaten during Hanukkah is latkes, potato pancakes fried in oil.  We took a slightly different course with this and substituted sweet potatoes - our delicious homegrown sweet potatoes.


Sweet Potatoes that inhabit our pantry

To make them you grate 5 cups of sweet potatoes or carrots or potatoes.  Mix in 1 large egg, 1 tsp curry, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, a large pinch of allspice and 1/3 cup flour.
 

Some nice spice!



All mixed up and ready to fry

When the oil in your skillet is hot, spoon in the mixture and flatten into cakes with a fork.  Leave 5 - 6 minutes on one side, then flip and cook 4 minutes on the other.

Making the Latkes

You can see we've flipped two of these and will continue to cook for four minutes.

Plate them up and they are ready to be eaten.  We've found that they are much better when eaten hot, but with the flavor of the latkes, you won't have to worry about them cooling, they'll be consumed before then.


Sweet Potato Latkes

In the photo below going clockwise from the top, you can see the menorah, the latkes, the dreidel and the gelt. 

The Hanukkah menorah is supposed to be placed in the window so that all who pass by may see the lights and be reminded of the miracle of Hanukkah and the faithfulness of our God.


Hanukkah menorah with all lights lit

We have fun learning new things, experiencing new customs and the history behind them and enjoying new and flavorful foods.  Happy Hanukkah everyone!