I’ve really been enjoying Hannukkah in Israel, which is quite different than North America. Much less emphasis on gifts, donuts everywhere and finding many stores, bars and restaurants having a hannukiah which they seem to light at some point in the evening. Last night at dinner, all the diners stop eating to light candies with the chefs, waiters and restaurant owners. And the night before, we passed one of the bars as they were lighting (one waiter wearing a Santa Claus hat as it was December 24th) and then passing out finja (a sefardic fried dough Hannukkah treat) to its clients and passerbyes (including us).
For the first night of Hannukkah, we went to the kotel for the Hannukkah lighting. I found it moving to watch the hannukiah be lit so close to the location where the oil of the Hannukkah story was found. We also walked around the Jewish quarter enjoying hannukiot outside people’s homes. (There is a tradition to place the hannukiot outside your home to maximize publicizing the miracle. Often they’re placed in glass boxes to protect from the wind).
On the second night of Hannukkah, I was entranced walking around Nahalot – a traditional neighborhood near the shuk in Jerusalem. This older neighborhood is full of tiny alleys and lots of residents were lighting their hannukiot outdoors, some of which had brought out their guitars and were singing and passing out hot tea and donuts to passerbys. It was also interesting to see many groups of Israelis from around the country who had come with tour guides to wander the alleys and experience the hannukiot and singing.
Hannukiot in the Jewish quarter of the old city outside people’s homes
More outdoor hannukiot
Rabin square, Tel Aviv, check out the building behind it
Creative materials hannukiah
More creative material – or maybe not that creative