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PAGE 27 • PLAINDEALER - TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 24.1*1 Chanukah: a-time for joy /The Jewish Festival of hanukah, which lasts for eight days, begins this year on December 21st. Although it is not a holiday of major «ignifi- cance in the Jewish festival calendar, it is die Jewish con­ tribution to a season recog­ nized almost everywhere as a time for affirmation and joy. For Judith Zimmerman, an educator and activist in the Jewish community as well as the community at large, Chanukah celebrates the free­ dom of Jews to be themselves, to maintain their beliefs and traditions within the context of a wider culture. Historically, Chanukah cel­ ebrates the victory of the Mac­ cabees, a Hebrew family who led a small group of the faith­ ful, over the Greco-Syrians who occupied and desecrated The Temple in Jerusalem in 165 B.C. But, according to Judy Zimmerman, the symbolic importance of the festival is more than military; it is the triumph of light over dark­ ness. In later legends, it is said that when the Maccabees en­ tered The Temple, there was only enough oil to last one night--not nearly enough time to repair the damage and reconsecrate the holy place. And then, a miracle oc­ curred. The small amount of oil lasted a full eight days. To­ day, in Jewish homes all over the world, the menorah, a candelabrum with nine branches (one for each night of the holiday, plus a ninth can­ dle with which to light the others), is lit every night of the festival to commemorate those wondrous days of old. Each evening, a new candle is placed in the menorah to represent the addition of light. The candle for the new day is lit first as each day brings new light into the world. Surrounding the solemn and meaningful experience of the family lighting the menorah, is the hustle and bustle of a holiday of joy. In the Zimmerman house­ hold (Judy's husband is Rab­ bi Sheldon Zimmerman of Central Synagogue in New York City), the children deco­ rate the Hall and dining room with pictures of the Macca- bean heroes, menorahs, and signs wishing all a happy Chanukah. Each member of the family has a special menorah, and there is a large family menorah as well. As evening falls, their home is ablaze with the light and warmth of candles. Gifts are exchanged within the family, and all guests at the table find a small Chanukah present along with a menorah awaiting them. The evening is punctuated by the music of Chanukah songs, such as the Hebrew version of "Rock of Ages" which acknowledges God's aid and presence in times of struggle and times of peace. The Zimmermans enjoy sharing this time of warmth, light and closeness with others. Judy Zimmerman's skill in the kitchen is on a par with the rest of her consider­ able achievements and she chooses to prepare potato pan­ cakes (forte.?,) as the symbol of the holiday. Both latkes, of Eastern European derivation, and jelly doughnuts, primarily served Innovative Yule trees Lately there has been a growing interest in using non- traditional Christmas trees. The large evergreens are cer­ tainly magnificent. But, in these days of apart­ ments which are short on space (if long on charm), peo­ ple have been forced to put their creativity to use by de­ signing trees which fit in with the small scale of their living quarters. Whether you opt to deco­ rate a branch with homemade paper decorations, or use your imagination to design one from driftwood, there's sure to be a tree that's right for your lifestyle. The earliest Christmas trees were small pyramid-like structures laden with small toys. When the tradition spread to Germany, the ever­ green became popular and was a symbol of life in the midst of the long winter. If you need help putting your ideas to use, there are many Christmas and craft books which offer practical nuts-and-bolts advice. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATRONAGE HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE STAFF AND MANAGEMENT OF LITTLE CHEF RESTAURANT 1332 N RIVERSIDE DR McHENRY in Israel, are traditional dishes. Their connection with Chanukah is that they are fried in oil. Here is Judy's recipe for Potato Latkes. POTATO LATKES 4-5 large potatoes, cleaned and unpeeled 2 eggs 1 tsp. salt Dash pepper 3 TM: flour, or more if needed 1 small grated onion Vt tsp. baking powder Dash cinnamon Oil for frying In blender, grate onion and add eggs. Add potatoes in chunks while still blending. Drain half the excess liquid. Add all the other ingre­ dients and blend just to mix. If mixture is too watery (it should mound nicely in a spoon), add more flour by the tablespoonful. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto hot well-greased frying pan and brown on both sides. (Keeplatkes already fried in a low oven.) Accompany with a choice of sour cream or applesauce. Serves 5-6. See Us For 'The Gentle Touch of Elegonce" Before you shop for o new dress or sport coot... SEE US FIRST, AND AVOID THE RUSH! Let us restore the beauty to your clothes for the holiday season with fast, quality dry cleaning. Dut, don't delay Christmas is right around the cor­ ner, so dry clean now! SHAMROCK CLEANERS McHENRY MARKET PLACE 385-1944 4400 W. RTE. 120 McHENRY. ILL SAT. 8 to 5 OPEN DAILY 7 to 6 i your warmest wishes for Christmas A Kero-Sun Radiant 10 is the warmest way to say Merry Christmas to someone you love. It's the portable kerosene heater that gives you low cost heat for only pennies an hour. A KenvSun Radiant 10 heats with 99.9% efficiency for 30 hours on less than 2 gallons of clean-burning kerosene. Kero-Sun Radiant 10 heaters are safety-tested and UL approved. 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