Sometimes spelled as Chanukah (either way is acceptable), the eight-day ‘Festival of Lights’ will be celebrated this year beginning Dec. 24. Of course, Christmas is the most dominant of winter festivities, yet as Rowan University’s professor Dianne Ashton points out, Hanukkah is just as American as a beloved winter holiday as the many expressions and styles of Christmas.
Her book highlights that in New Orleans, Hanukkah means decorating your door with a menorah made of hominy grits. Latkes in Texas are seasoned with cilantro and cayenne pepper. Children in Cincinnati sing Hanukkah songs and eat oranges and ice cream. While each tradition springs from its own unique set of cultural references, what ties them together is that they all celebrate a holiday that is different in America than it is any place else.
A scholar of religious studies, Ashton has written extensively on Judaism in America and she told this reporter the reason why she wrote a book about Hanukkah is because “it is something that is celebrated in people’s homes and that made it interesting to me. It has only been in recent years (like in the 1970’s with the Chabad Hasidic movement) where Hanukkah has become a more public celebration.”
I had mentioned in our conversation that part of my interest in reaching out to her was because I had picked up a book at my local library entitled, “America’s Favorite Holidays — Candid Stories” by Rev. Bruce David Forbes. His book, which was published just last year, mentions every holiday Americans celebrate, its history and so forth, but hardly mentions Hanukkah.
Ashton was not surprised as she noted, “it is a festivity, not a major holiday like Passover or the ‘High Holy Days’ such as Yom Kippur or Rosh Hashannah. Because it is a minor festival when I was doing research, looking back to the early 19th Century, Hanukkah was hardly mentioned, she said, very hard to find references of it back then.”
Hanukkah is based upon the story in ancient texts of Judah Maccabee and his brothers who organized an uprising against the Syrian rulers who had been oppressing the Jewish people of around 161 to 164, 2nd Century BCE. Part of the Syrian oppression was to desecrate the temple and fill it with pagan idols.
The celebration is not only about the re-dedication of the temple but about the miracle of the sanctuary lamp that burned for eight days. There was only enough oil for one day. But the lamp continued on for eight. The menorah symbolizes not only that event of the temple re-dedication but the consistent presence of God — as Divine light and wisdom spreading throughout the world.
Even with this meaning, some scholars say that there are several reasons why Hanukkah was not as widely celebrated in times past within the Jewish world. And, in some instances it was forgotten. Perhaps, one probable reason is because of the scriptures themselves. There are several books of the Maccabees and not all are referenced in Hebrew.
Prof. Rachael Turkienicz teaches at York University, Toronto. She explained it this way for the web site MyJewishLearning.com. “Although the Books of Maccabees were not included within the (official cannon of the) Hebrew Bible, they are still of value. Yet even this is difficult within a traditional Jewish context, due to another historical layer. First and Second Maccabees were included in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible originally prepared for the Jewish community of Alexandria. However, the Septuagint became the official version of the Bible for the nascent Christian Church. When this happened, its authoritative nature was rejected by the Jewish community. Ironically, the Books of Maccabees survived because they became part of the Christian canon, for otherwise they most certainly would have been lost during the centuries. But once this Christian canonization occurred, these books became lost to the Jewish world for many centuries.”
Ashton points out that although a version of the story of the Maccabees was in the Septuagint, she said that story is not to be confused with the Septuagint because “it talks of an uprising in Judea,” (not Alexandria or some other Greek-influenced location). There are some versions written in Aramaic. The story of Maccabees is mentioned by the Jewish historian Josephus. And, some scholars believe that at least some portion or version of the story of the Maccabees was originally told or referenced in Hebrew before it was transcribed into Greek or Aramaic.
Scholars continue to debate about this and it is a debate that will most likely continue in various religious circles. Regardless of that, Ashton sees the mention and celebration of Hanukkah as extremely important and very affirming. “The fact that as a ritual Hanukkah is very simple and actually is very brief with just the lighting of candles and a prayer, there is not much to it,” she said. “This leaves room for lots of improvising. People over the years, such as throughout Europe added songs. Especially, here in America, she said, with the adding of songs, poems, (some with humor) Hanukkah became very festive and joyful.”
Ashton reiterated that because of its simplicity in ceremony Hanukkah was not as formal as other important holidays in the synagogue. “This allowed people to add their own styles, approaches to it,” she said. In her book “Hanukkah in America — A History,” Professor Ashton gives a thorough and detailed history of how the celebration of this little festival has blossomed into an event encompassing all the diversity and complexity that is life in America.
“Various themes of Judaism have been applied to the Hanukkah celebration over the years.” Ashton noted that as decades past and each generation incorporated it into their seasonal celebration, Hanukkah focused on various themes, such as leadership and courage as an important aspect of Jewish faith and life. Or in some instances to encourage the community to promote learning, such as the giving of books to children.
Obviously, Hanukkah was looked to as a way for Jewish people to celebrate the season amid the Yuletide and Christmas references that dominate American culture. A wonderful gift-giving time for children, Hanukkah for some incorporated the custom of giving gifts, or money not just for one day, such as Dec. 25, but for eight consecutive days.
With food and games, the celebration is a feast for all the senses. Typically, foods offered are anything prepared in oil, such as potato pancakes (latkes), donuts (sufganiyah) etc. Dreidels (a set of spinning tops) are played for the winning of trinkets, which can be coins, candy or nuts. There are different variations of dreidels. Yet each side, no matter the style, has reference to the celebration, such as “a great miracle happened…”
And, as mentioned, during the 1970’s more public celebrations of Hanukkah became linked with the traditional lighting of a holiday tree in public places. In 1979, then president Jimmy Carter initiated a national Menorah ceremony at the White House and since that time, a Hanukkah celebration has been held.
With its emphasis on light, what better way to deal with the cold and dim days of winter than to light candles, gather around to sing songs, play games and eat.
Sales coach and author David Stern has many happy memories of the festivities growing up in Brooklyn. “Chanukah is always a happy and fun holiday. It is the time, I recall that we as kids played Dreidels with my parents and grandparents. We always had Chanukah parties, whether at our home or some other family member’s home. It was a time to be together. And of course we always got toys or games on Chanukah,” he added.
Interestingly, while Ashton provides this detailed history about the growth and change of Hanukkah in America, similar could be said about Christmas. In his book, “America’s Favorite Holidays — Candid Histories” Bruce David Forbes mentions that Christmas as we know it today is a relatively new custom. The 20th Century brought about many customs which people take as granted. But were never a part of earlier commemorations and celebrations.
In the early days of Colonial America, for example when Puritans were in charge, they as Forbes notes, “disapproved of Christmas altogether…that it was a Roman Catholic innovation not practiced in the Early Church.”
Ashton agreed as she pointed out holidays change and adapt as society changes and adapts through time. This is something that has been noted by other scholars and historians in recent years. Regardless, she sees Hanukkah’s evolution as vital and important to Judaism. But most of all, as vital, affirming and uplifting to the communities which celebrate it.
Since its publication in 2013, “Hanukkah in America — A History” has received praise. “I get phone calls and inquiries every holiday season since publishing the book,” said Ashton.
Reviews posted on Goodreads have been plentiful. While some readers said they were overwhelmed by the amount of scholarly references, they found the book helpful and liked it.
“Hanukkah in America is a welcome addition to the growing literature on American Jewish culture and religion, says H-Judaic Resources network in its critique. Ashton has taken on a weighty task in analyzing the development of this holiday. Her emphasis on thematic continuity should remind American Jews and scholars thereof that few problems are new, and her sweeping historical overview provides an important balance to many works that focus on a single period. Like the holiday itself, Hanukkah in America is many things at once—a study of liturgy and amusements, commerce and faith, domesticity and pageantry, glowing brightly across the centuries.”
For more information and to purchase “Hanukkah in America – A History” visit New York University Press.
