SAN DIEGO – With Hanukkah fast approaching, it’s a time to purchase or pull from your family library a thoughtful, comprehensive Hannukah handbook that was written five years ago and is so well-done it should become a standard for the holiday.
Light the Menorah was written by Jacqueline Jules and illustrated by Kristina Swarner. It includes the blessings that are said over the hannukiah, meditations for each of the eight nights of the holiday, a history of the holiday containing both the story of the Maccabees military victory over the forces of King Antiochus, and the miracle of a single cruse of oil burning for eight days.
Moreover, it includes a Q & A section about Hannukah, an explanation of the dreidel game; musical notations and lyrics for “Ma’Oz Tzur” and “Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah;” recipes for making latkes and sufganiyot as well as candy dreidels and edible menorahs (from pretzel sticks); and directions for making such Hanukkah crafts with your children as a menorah from popsicle sticks, a paper chain menorah, hanging dreidel decorations, and a coupon gift book.
I’m sure the author won’t mind if I reprint her meditation for children on fourth night of Hanukkah. There are seven other meditations equally didactic.
“We light the Hanukkah menorah with a shamash, or helper candle. The shamash is used to make sure the Hanukkah candles do no work. The shamash has a place on the menorah that is apart from the other candles. It is often in the middle and stands a little higher than the other candles. As we light the shamash to begin the candle lighting ceremony, let us remember all the people in our lives who serve and help us – parents, teachers, medical professionals, librarians, police officers, fire fighters, custodial workers, and others. Let us not forget to say ‘thank you’ whenever we can.”
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Light the Menorah: A Hanukkah Handbook by Jacqueline Jules, illustrations by Kristina Swarner; Minneapolis: Kar-Ben Publishing; (c) 2018; ISBN 9781512-483697; 40 pages, $8.99.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor emeritus of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com