PORTLAND, Ore. — Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish holiday known as the Festival of Lights, begins at sundown on Thursday. Millions around the world will celebrate but in 2020, longstanding traditions are getting a makeover because of the pandemic.
We caught up with the Lake family in Southeast Portland. Josh and Tamar Lake and their daughters, Dov and Ayelet, shared what they love most about the season.
"We celebrate that in a few ways," Tamar said. "One is we light a Hanukkiah every night and a Hanukkiah is a menorah, but it's special for Hanukkah, that's why you hear the word Hanukkah in Hanukkiah."
The Lakes have a family tradition of making their own ritual objects. This year, the base of their Hanukkiah is a beaver stick they found while hiking along the Sandy River. Seven-year-old Dov decorated it with trees made out of modeling clay.
"The truth is that Judaism is a religion that's based in nature and we always try to bring nature into our Jewish traditions," Tamar said.
"My favorite part of Hanukkah is spinning dreidels and lighting the Hanukkiah," Dov said.
Her older sister, 11-year-old Ayelet, likes spinning dreidels, too. The tops are part of a game where the winner is rewarded with gelt.
"We haven't mentioned that gelt are chocolate coins," she said.
Food is a very important part of Hanukkah. Traditional dishes give a nod to ancient times when menorahs were fueled with oil.
"Eating oily foods, of course, is a tradition of Hanukkah," Tamar said. "Latkes, but more importantly we eat Sufganiyot, which are special jelly donuts made just for Hanukkah."
Like most things in 2020, this year's celebration will look different.
"In years past we have a Hanukkah party with 30, 40, 50 people or more in our house with kids running all over the place, with presents exchanged, with people playing dreidel on the floor and this year it'll be not that at all," Josh said. "We’ll be on Zoom. We'll light candles (on Zoom) with people all over the country."
For the Lake family, the core of their celebration is about community and giving back.
"The word Hanukkah translates as dedication," Josh said. "The question this year could be what are dedicating ourselves, or rededicating ourselves to? It could be to being in shape, it could be to being kinder to people, whatever it is, it's not just a frilly holiday. There’s something real special behind that and it is asking what are we going to do in the future year. What is that hope?"
Sentiments worthwhile for us all to ponder.
Happy Hanukkah!