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SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | DECEMBER 2018 7 While Chanukah is the best known Jewish holiday, it is actually a minor festival on the Jewish calendar. What determines whether a holiday is designated as major or minor? Those holidays whose observance is commanded in the Torah (the first five books of Moses also known as the Old Testament) are considered major; all others are minor. Actually, Chanukah is not found in the Torah at all. The story of Chanukah is related in the Books of the Maccabees, which are part of the Apocrypha. The Apocrypha is a collection of writings which the ancient rabbis felt were not sacred enough to be included in the Hebrew Scriptures. The observance of Chanukah is also described in the Talmud. The events commemorated by Chanukah took place in Judea (now Israel) during the second Pre-Christian century, a very complex and turbulent period. At that time Judea was part of the Syrian Empire and was heavily influenced by the Hellenistic (Greek) culture that was sweeping the Near East in the wake of the conquest of Alexander the Great. Hellenism was the first culture to transcend national boundaries and become a truly universal culture that allowed people to extend their understanding of the world. It was not surprising that many Jews forsook traditional Jewish study to pursue politics, philosophy, commerce, drama and physical culture, which were all part of Hellenism. The result was a lessening of commitment to Jewish values and religion. Antiochus, the king of Syria, attempted to unify his empire by insisting that all his subjects adopt one religion – the worship of Zeus. Under this policy all subjects, including the Jews, would become equals. The Hellenizers rejoiced at the opportunity but the more traditional Jews were appalled at the idea of adopting paganism. Antiochus viewed this adherence to the Torah as a threat to his empire so he decreed that all Jews embrace his policy. Those that did not were executed. Refusing to accept this repressive policy, a group of Jews, led by Judah Maccabee, took to the hills to engage in armed revolt. The band gained control of the main road to Jerusalem and retook the Temple which had been desecrated by the Syrians. In an eight day celebration, the Maccabees rededicated the Temple and established the annual commemoration of this event. Chanukah literally means "dedication" in Hebrew. The best part of the Chanukah story, however, comes from the Talmud. There it is recounted that, when the Maccabees rededicated the Temple, they searched for oil to light the candelabrum (the eternal light that hangs above the arch where the Torah is kept.) They could only locate one small jar of oil that should have lasted just one day. Yet, the candelabrum miraculously remained lit for eight days until more oil could be procured. Thus, the holiday of Chanukah celebrates not only the miracle of the oil but the greater miracle of Jewish survival. It celebrates the victory of the few over the many and the achievement of religious freedom. ~ Author Unknown Chanukah - The Survival of Judaism By Sherrie Chaparro, Resident When I was growing up in Southern California, my mother always served oyster stew for Christmas Eve dinner. We would go to the Redondo Beach pier (not the upscale dining and shopping venue it is now, but a rickety old wooden pier lined with vendors selling fresh fish and seafood), to select the best oysters. After dinner we went to church to sing Christmas carols and admire the poinsettias lining the altar. Oyster stew for Christmas Eve didn't seem odd to me then. It was just what we did. When I grew up, however, I realized not everyone had a similar tradition. Google is a wonderful tool. My mother was of Scots/Irish descent, whose family settled in the Appalachian valleys of West Virginia. I learned the Irish were accustomed to eating a fish stew on Christmas Eve, mostly likely because eating meat the day before a religious feast was forbidden by the Catholic church. Catholics in other areas, like Italy and Mexico, also have a similar tradition. Since we weren't Catholic, that probably wasn't the reason. Then I learned a more probable explanation. Back before there were refrigerated railroad cars, shippers from the coast depended on the weather to keep their products from spoiling. December was the first month which would reliably keep food frozen on the trip from the coast to the hollers of West Virginia, so oysters came to represent the arrival of the winter holiday season. Another tradition my mother followed was serving cabbage wedges with coins hidden inside for New Year's Day dinner. The more coins you found in your cabbage, the greater your luck in the coming year. Many cultures have a similar tradition of serving "lucky" foods to start the new year, although the food varies with the culture. This Appalachian tradition was rooted in necessity, since by January cabbage was about the only vegetable that hadn't spoiled. Over the years, the mountain people combined this necessity with the old-world custom of hiding coins in mashed potatoes. Cabbage, with all its crevices, made a perfect hiding place. What holiday food traditions does your family have? Holiday Food Traditions

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