Danielle Server
During this busy time of Christmas festivities in the month of December, the Jewish community comes together to celebrate their own special religious holiday of Hanukkah, an eight day Jewish Festival.
Although a minor holiday for the Jewish community, the spotlight for the holiday has grown over the years.
“It’s definitely one of the lesser Jewish holidays, but it has become popular through competing with Christmas,” said Korah Lombardi, the president for the Hillel Club at the University of Wyoming.
The establishment of Hanukkah came after a revolt from a small Jewish community called the Maccabees against the Syrian army in 165 B.C. The festival is meant to commemorate the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. To rededicate the temple, the Maccabees burned oil leftovers, which was supposed to only be enough for one day but lasted for eight days instead. This was seen as a miracle for the Jewish community and the successful revolt soon became a celebration called Hanukkah, meaning dedication in Hebrew.
“It’s easier to celebrate [this year] because Hanukkah falls during Christmas, but if you are living in the dorms and Hanukkah starts during finals week, you can’t light candles in the dorm. So it’s really hard for those students to practice being away from home,” said Lombardi.
During this time of festivities, the Jewish community will light candles for eight days starting on sundown of Dec. 22 and ending on Dec. 30. Each day, for celebration, a candle is lit and food such as potato latkes and donuts are served and eaten to commemorate the oil burned by the Maccabees.
The Hillel Club and the Jewish Community Center will be active this Hanukkah for those who celebrate the holiday and for those who are curious about the festival and are wanting to learn more. Although Hanukkah starts after finals week, students are welcome to reach out to these places for more information about celebrating. Lombardi encourages students to participate even if they are not Jewish themselves.
Hillel has weekly Torah studies in the Union Gardens. Their last meeting will be Wed. at 5 p.m.
“[Hillel] is very much an interfaith group. We compare Old and New Testament Bible and Quran,” said Lombardi. “We have Muslims, Protestants, Catholics, Reform Jews, Chabad Jews, Modern Orthodox Jews, Conservative Jews [and] I think even some Hindu students so no one should feel weird about inquiring if they are not Jewish! Hillel is about learning, appreciating and advocating for Jewish Culture.”
