One of my favorite memories Chanukah was rushing home after school in the dark Evanston nights. We would gather around the dinner table and light the candles. We would have fried food from some country or other because Jews around the world celebrate Chanukah. And then my father would read. Often from a little book by Isaac Bashevis Singer, Zlateh the Goat. Or from the Wise Men of Chelm. I still think of the story of diamonds, I mean snow, every first snowfall.

This year, because my congregation is celebrating Jews Around the World as part of our diversity, I thought I would retell a story. The first one is from Hanukkah Around the World by Tami Lehman-Wilzig. Her first story is from Modi’in, Israel, where the Macabees were born.

“’Come here, I have something to show you.’ Orly’s mother calls to her daughter. Orly enters the living room and sits down next o her mother who is looking at an old family album. She points to a photo of a young girl holding a lit torch, standing with a group of seven boys and girls. “That’s Savta Raba, your great grandmother. The caption says, ‘Hanukkah 1943.’ The relay from Modi’in to Jerusalem started five years before Israel became a state. And Savta Rab was the first one to carry the torch.’ Orly stares at the old black and white photo. “Wow! And this year I’m carrying the torch,’ she whispers. Ima hugs Orly, ‘And you’re carrying on a family tradition. When I visited Savta Raba and told her you were chosen to lead the Hanukkah relay, she gave me this album, so you could see her photo.’ The doorbell rings. ‘Come on in.’ Orly calls to her friend Anat. ‘Look at this!’ Orly opens the album and tells Anat the story. ‘Cool!’ says Anat. She looks at her watch. “Oh, it’s 3:15. We have to run. Today they’re taking us to where the relay begins and showing us the route. We’re starting near the graves of the Maccabees.’

In a flash, the two are out the door. Seconds later Orly flies back in panting. ‘Ima can I take the photo? I want to show it to Avi, my youth group leader.’ Orly’s mother carefully removes the photo and puts it in an envelope. ‘Just don’t lose it!’ she says.

Each day after school, Orly and Anat practice running to build up their stamina. One day, Ima gets a call from Avi with a special request. After seeing the old photo, he’s had an idea….”

Can anyone guess what the idea is? Any other ideas of unique ways to celebrate Chanukah in Israel? They include—this relay race from Modi’in to Jerusalem. Last year we ran a similar thing in Elgin, tied to Chanukah and Thanksgiving. I hope we can do it again next year. They use a dreidle (sivivon) that has a peh instead of a shin, because “A great miracle happened here (ooh)”, not there (sham). In 1958, the Bank of Israel began to make a special coin for Chanukah, a unique Chanukah gelt. Each year’s coin features a different country. This year, if you were in Israel you could go to an exhibit at the Bank of Israel to celebrate all the Chanukah gelt they have minted through the years. http://www.israel21c.org/nostalgia-israel/coins-of-israel-ancient-and-new/   And in Israel, they don’t eat latkes, they eat sufganiyot, jelly donuts, since they are fried in oil. Sometimes my family eats falafel instead of sufganiyot!