Shedding light on Hanukkah

By Jordan Cohen

Pupils learn that the Jewish holiday has nothing to do with gifts

YOUNGSTOWN — Third-grade pupils at Akiva Academy, a private Jewish school on Gypsy Lane, are playing a rather intense game of dreidel, one of the traditions of Hanukkah, which begins at sundown this evening.

The dreidel is a spinning top of four sides, each with a different Hebrew letter. At stake are some coins placed on the table by their teacher, but this is not juvenile gambling. No one wins or loses any money.

Depending on the letter that appears when the top completes its spin, the pupil either “wins” some or all of the money, gets nothing or has to contribute to the pot.

These 8- and 9-year-olds, however, have learned something else about the letters, and they have nothing to do with a traditional Hanukkah game.

“The four letters represent each word in a sentence that translates to ‘Big miracle happened here,’” says their teacher, Tirtza Kohan. She tells the children that the miracle is one of the foundations of the Hanukkah observance.

The holiday marks the victory of the Jews over the Syrian-Greeks more than 2,100 years ago and the restoration of their temple.

According to the Talmud, the book of Jewish law, a one-day supply of oil to dedicate the temple lasted for eight days until it could be resupplied — a miracle.

For that reason, Hanukkah is called the Festival of Lights and is observed for an eight-day period with the lighting of a candle each evening in the menorah, the candle holder.

“I like Hanukkah because we get to play with the dreidel and eat latkes [potato pancakes],” said Abigail Scharf, 8, of Boardman.

The pupils also like Hanukkah for the obvious reason: They’re thinking more about the gifts they hope to receive, and all seem to want the same thing.

“I’m hoping for a cell phone,” said Lexi Burdman, 8, of Liberty, “but I don’t think I’ll get one. I may have to wait till I’m 10.” Several others nodded in agreement.

Kohan, however, told the pupils that gifts were never associated with Hanukkah in the first place, and she should know. An Akiva teacher for 20 years, Kohan is a native of Israel.

“We never gave gifts for Hanukkah there,” she said. “That’s something that apparently began here in America.

“I tell them that the main point of the holiday is that it is a celebration of freedom. A war was fought, not for land or property, but for an idea and the right to practice your religion.”

Kohan said it was difficult for the youngsters to absorb the concept. “They take religion and freedom for granted,” she said.

There is another reason, however, Akiva emphasizes the religious freedom aspect of Hanukkah. Of the school’s 70 pupils from kindergarten through sixth grade, half are not Jewish, said Susan Schonberger, Judaic curriculum coordinator.

“By showing that religious freedom is the main concept of Hanukkah, all of our students can relate it to whatever Bible stories they have learned,” Schonberger said.

The message may be getting through.

“It’s all about the Maccabees [a family of fighters who led the revolt] and making the oil last for eight days,” said Sophie Alper, 8, Liberty. She did not say anything about presents.

A big miracle happened here.