Jewish congregations hold joint Hanukkah celebration

Freedom is the focal point of the festival of lights.

By LINDA M. LINONIS

VINDICATOR RELIGION EDITOR

BOARDMAN — Hanukkah celebrates freedom, and a festive celebration took place Saturday, the fifth night of Hanukkah.

Congregation Ohev Tzedek, 5245 Glenwood Ave., held a joint event with members of Temple El Emeth in Liberty and their rabbi, Joseph Schonberger.

Rabbi Joel Berman of Ohev Tzedek said a prayer for Hanukkah, noting that God “delivered the strong into the hands of the weak.”

Hanukkah is based on the story of Judah Maccabee, a temple priest and soldier, and his company of men who found the temple in Jerusalem defiled after driving out the Grecko-Syrians.

“It’s the triumph of not being assimilated into the prevailing Hellenistic culture, and of maintaining our identity,” Rabbi Berman said. “Those in authority prohibited the Jews from observing the Sabbath, reading Scripture and other religious practices and this is the story of the Jews fighting back. It’s commemorating the existence of freedom though the odds were against it.”

“It’s a festive observance ... a party to celebrate that we made it,” Rabbi Berman said. It’s the recognition that the Jews overcame the might of the Syrian representatives of the Greek empire.

The holiday, like others observed during winter, incorporates light. “This isn’t an exclusive Jewish element. It’s been used since ancient times,” Rabbi Berman said. Hanukkah also is known as the festival of lights.

The lighting of Hanukiot, a special festival candlebras, is part of the celebration.

Eight candles represent the eight days of Hanukkah and the ninth is the utility candle used to kindle the others. This reflects the story that has become associated with Hanukkah.

In the restored temple, the Jews had oil for just one day’s use and knew it would take eight days to purify enough oil to begin the daily routine of lighting the menorah. But, legend has it, the oil ended up lasting for eight days.

Jews display lighted Hanukiot in their homes as a way to revere freedom and publicize the miracle, Rabbi Berman said.

Psalms of praise are added to the daily prayers as part of the Hanukkah observance.

The occasion also was one for the two congregations, Ohev Tzedek and El Emeth, to share a celebration.

The event began with a Havdalla ceremony, a weekly ritual in which a special candle is lighted to signify the end of the Sabbath, just as candles are lighted to signify its start.

“All Jewish observances start at sundown,” Rabbi Berman said, noting that this measurement of the days requires no modern technology.

Once the Havdalla ceremony was completed, the party began. Music and games were featured and latkes and jelly donuts were on the menu.