“Put on your yarmulke, Here comes Channukah So much funukah To celebrate Channukah Chanukah is the festival of lights Instead of one day of presents, we have eight crazy nights…”
For many Americans, like Adam Sandler, one can write an entire song simply devoted to the theme of Channukah being the Jewish alternative to Christmas and a salve to the Jewish sense of being left out of trees, mistletoe, reindeer and presents.
But what is the history behind it? Why, out of our survival of a myriad of oppressive regimes, did our sages choose to dedicate an entire 8-day festival to our victory here? How did Channukah and its symbols become so central to the imagery and ideology of Zionism and the modern State of Israel? And most importantly of all – why do we eat latkes and doughnuts?
Join the Academy, its faculty and guest speaker, Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum to explore Channukah as it should be done. Because, with apologies to Adam Sandler, it’s much more than just a time for a harmonicah, or even a gin and tonicah…
