Hanukkah stays true to tradition

By LISA LOSASSO

VINDICATOR COLUMNIST

This year, the Jewish community lit the first candle of the Menorah on Tuesday, the beginning of Hanukkah.

The holiday celebrates a 2,200-year-old event, when Jews reclaimed their temple in Israel. A one-day supply of oil kept the N’er Tamid (eternal light) lit for eight days. Therefore, the holiday foods are fried in heavy oil as a reminder of the miracle.

This is the reason Latke (potato pancakes) and doughnuts have become traditional Hanukkah foods and the menorah is lit on every night of the eight nights of celebration.

It is a Jewish tradition to eat foods that reflect the significance of a holiday such as Matzah on Passover and apples dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah. For at least a thousand years, Jews have traditionally eaten oily foods for Hanukkah.

Traditional doughnuts (Sulfganyot) look much like the doughnut holes we know now, but grated lemon peel is added to the dough and they are filled with jam or pastry cream.

Dairy foods are also customary during Hanukkah, in commemoration of the bravery of Yehudis, whose courage led to a great Maccabee victory.

The Maccabee, meaning “the hammer,” was an army formed by Judah and his four brothers. After three years of fighting they were finally successful in driving the Syrians out of Israel. When they returned to their temple in Jerusalem, which had been desecrated with Greek symbols and statues, they found that all of the oil, but one jar, had been contaminated. It would take eight days to procure new, pure oil.

During this rebellion, Yehudis, asked to see Holofernes, who had seized the town’s only spring of water. The people became desperate and weakened from thirst. Because of her beauty and charm, Holofernes invited her to join him for a feast. Yehudis brought her own food and wine to share with him and filled him full of salty cheeses and wine until he fell into a drunken stupor. She then used his own sword to cut off his head and brought it back to Bethulia with her.

Turning point

When the ruler’s people found his headless body the next morning, they retreated, and the town was saved along with the rest of Israel.

For this reason, cheese latkes are made in honor of the brave heroine, Yehudis, who defeated the Greek general, Holofernes.

The occupying Greek forces were determined to eradicate the ideals and commandments of the holy Torah and attempted to force Hellenism upon the Jews. Because of their success, once they were defeated, it was necessary to reeducate the Jewish population to Torah values. This explains the strong link between Hanukkah and education.

Because of this, it is customary to give chocolate gelt (chocolate coins), throughout the course of Hanukkah, as an incentive to increase in charity and good deeds This form of incentive is used until a child is mature enough to understand the importance of the Torah and mitzvot. Sometimes gelt is given each weeknight during Hanukkah.

For the past 12 years Mervyn and Marlene Hollander, along with other members of the Children of Israel Synagogue, hold a public lighting of the Menora at the Eastwood Mall. This year it will take place on Sunday evening.

A 10-foot Menorah will be installed and a prominent community figure will light the first candle. Latke, dreidels and chocolate coins will be given to everyone who attends.

Traditional Jewish recipes

POTATO LATKES

5 potatoes (can use sweet potatoes, zucchini, or even carrots)

1 onion

2 eggs

1⁄4 cup flour

2 level teaspoons salt

1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder

Place peeled potatoes in a food processor. When potato mixture is very fine, drain carefully. Add remaining ingredients and fry in very hot skillet until golden brown. Pat on paper towel. Serve with sour cream and applesauce.

Recipe courtesy of Joan Schwebel.

CHICKEN WITH PEPPERS AND ARTICHOKES

Skinless and boneless chicken breasts - one per person

1 jar Mancini roasted peppers cut into strips

1 can of quartered artichoke hearts, water-packed

1⁄4 cup cooking oil

3⁄4 cup dry white wine

Juice of one lemon

3 cloves garlic

Put cooking oil, wine and lemon juice in baking pan. Place breasts or combination of breasts and dark meat in pan. Sprinkle liberally with Lowry’s Seasoning Salt, dash of black pepper and some dried oregano. Add sliced fresh garlic or garlic powder and a dash of paprika. Bake uncovered for 1⁄2 hour, then add strips of roasted peppers and drained can of artichoke hearts. Bake for another hour uncovered.

Recipe courtesy of Joan Schwebel.

BELGIUM BRISKET OF BEEF

1 (5-pound) brisket

2 onions sliced

5 stalks celery

2 teaspoons salt

1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

1 (12 ounce) bottle chili sauce mixed with 1⁄4 cup water

1 (12 ounce) can of beer

Place meat in roasting pan, fat side up. Season with salt and pepper. Place onions, celery and chili sauce over brisket. Bake uncovered, basting often for 45 minutes. Cover tightly with foil. Bake three and a half hours. Uncover. Add beer. Recover and bake one hour (until tender). Remove brisket from gravy. Cool and slice against the grain of the meat. Return brisket to gravy and reheat in the oven at 325 degrees for 5 hours and 15 minutes. Can be frozen and re-thawed.

Recipe courtesy of Marlene Hollander.

MANDEL BROT

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1⁄2 cup ground nuts or lemon rind

Beat eggs well. Add sugar and oil. Sift dry ingredients together and add egg mixture. Mix well. Add vanilla and nuts. Mixture will be very moist. Arrange in long strips about 11⁄2 inches in diameter (3 strips on greased cookie sheet). Bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Slice Mandle Brot diagonally while hot, return to oven and bake for crispness at 325 degrees for an additional 20 minutes. Wonderful with coffee at any time of the day.

Recipe courtesy of Marlene Hollander

SWEET AND SOUR WINTER VEGETABLES

1 cup raw turnips, diced

1 cup raw parsnips, diced

1 cup raw sweet potatoes (or white potatoes), diced

1 cup raw carrots, diced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1⁄4 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss all vegetables with oil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bake 40-45 minutes or until tender, stirring once or twice. Combine syrup, vinegar and broth in small pot. Simmer for 5 minutes. Drizzle over vegetables in oven and bake additional 5-10 minutes, remove from oven and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Marlene Hollander.