The Menorah Meme

Inspired by Ezzie's last year's stories about his two menorahs, as well as by The Maggid of Bergenfield's story of one community's special chanukiot, I decided that there's no better way to celebrate the Chanukkah spirit together than through... a Menorah Meme.

Here's the deal:

1) Take or find a picture of the menorah you're using this year OR any special menorah in your life.

* If you really can't upload pictures, you can try to find one that looks just like yours.

2) Tell a little story about how you got it, what it means to you, or whatever else you find appropriate.

3) Tag 8 people.

4) Forward me the link to your post. I'll get all the stories together and put them up Friday afternoon. My e-mail is sicat222 at gmail dot com.

I'll start!



I didn't have a real chanukiya until I was thirteen. I used to go to a Jewish Day School for the first three grades of my elementary school, and they gave out those small plastic menorah's that you'd use once and then forget about. When I came to the United States, I went to public school, and there was no one to give out any menorahs... The first few years we were here, my parents struggled to apply themselves, so nobody really thought much about candle-lightning. In fact, I can't even recall what we did for Jewish holidays, because it was all so low-profile. During my Junior High school years, I was becoming more and more skeptical, questioning my religion as I learned the historical background of everything that's transpired, and how some things, well, just don't make any logical sense in the real world.

One day, when we went over to a neighbor's house, I saw some historian on TV talking about Chanukkah. He talked about the history, the Maccabees, the Hashmoneans... It was all very interesting, and that brief storytelling later catalyzed my interest in Jewish history. However, I was disappointed to find out that the story about the miracle with oil was most likely a legend intended to get young children to remember the events of the military campaign. That was a bitter blow. How could everyone have lied to me like that all these years? I would have understood if they simply told me that we light candles to commemorate a great military victory in Jewish history. But why lie about it, why make up stories, when truth is beautiful enough as it is...

Still, so many people seemed to believe it... I couldn't put two and two together... I was confused, and eventually started thinking that perhaps the story of the burning oil wasn't altogether a lie... that in fact, perhaps it couldn't be closer to the truth... perhaps the whole story *stood* for the way Hashem supported Jews during the war against a stronger enemy... and how, against all chance, we withstood and survived. Being just thirteen, however, I couldn't articulate those thoughts. I did, however, begin to regret not having a chanukiya of my own, not being to share in the celebration of light, a celebration good in itself. How can anyone NOT be inspired by the ideal of the light and warmth of the candles burning in the night?

We didn't have much money to spend, so I knew that my yearning for a real menorah would probably remain unfulfilled for many years. I did occasionally drop some casual remarks, but those were very general "wishful thinking" statements. I never expected my parents to take them seriously. That year, we celebrated New Year, as always. We long since have stopped putting up the New Year tree, moving away from the secularized Christian traditon of the Soviet era, but we did still have a New Year dinner, and exchange gifts. In the morning of January 1, that year, my parents and grandmother, approached me, and handed me a beautiful green velvety box. I wonder what happened to it, as I love fancy boxes. I looked at it, having no idea what to expect.

Imagine my delight and astonishment when I found the above beautiful gilded silver menorah inside! Considering the fact, that my mother had only just begun working, the menorah cost my family a small fortune. Nevertheless, they knew how much I wanted one and got me it. It's simple, yet very pretty and modern-looking. A tree. So symbolic, considering the importance of trees in Judaism: The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and The Tree of Life in Eden, Tu B'shvat, the fact that when someone's life is cut tragically short, the grave marker is often shaped like a tree. So it was quite appropriate to see a tree-like menorah, a symbol of life, strength, growth, and aspiration. My first real menorah.

***

I tag:

Ari
Cruisin' Mom
Daled Amos
Greetings From the French Hill
Lakewood Venter
Psycho Toddler
Soccer Dad
Chana (The Curious Jew)

Have fun!

Joyous,
Irina