Friends,
I NEVER send a mass mailing...but...I wrote this today for publication at
the
newspaper I work for.
I hope you consider this my HOLIDAY greeting to you all.  Thank you for the
enjoyment and friendship you have shown me this past year.
Eve
A CHANUKAH STORY or is it a CHRISTMAS STORY
It was a very cold and dark night.  There were 11 children huddled around an
old stove in the corner of a large back room.  The children ranged in age
from
2 to 19.  The little ones were held in bear hugs by the older ones in an
attempt to keep them warm.  This evening occurred long before indoor heating
and plumbing had arrived in the small Polish town.  The year was 1933.
The children made room for Zaide (Grandpa) Mendel as they sat by the
flickering light of the candles, as they had so many times over the years,
to
hear him relate the story of Chanukah in his most dramatic and all knowing
way.  As many times as the children had heard the story before, they looked
forward to its recitation each year on the first night of Chanukah after the
"big meal" had ended.  They would gather together and "Zaide" would spend an
hour recounting to them the plight of their ancestors, freed slaves,  who
were
thrust into the desert, with not enough fuel to either cook their food or
warm
their nights.  As usual, the children loved the crowning moment of the
story,
when Zaide, with much gesturing and in a conspiratorial tone told them how
God
created a miracle in allowing one night's fuel to sustain their ancestors
for
8 nights  With enthusiasm that the old man could barely contain, he told
them
that this gift of light from God created such joy in the hearts of these
people, that a celebration of happiness and good will ensued for the entire
8
days.  Zaide continued the story by telling the children that for 5,000
years
descendants of these slaves have celebrated the miracle of lights each year
on
this holiday of Chanukah, remembering their ancient ancestors with love, and
celebrating God's wisdom and kindness with gratitude.
As much as the children loved the dramatic, animated and unrestrained manner
in which Zaide told the story, what they really enjoyed most occurred at the
story's end.  It was then that the celebration of remembrance began.  The
celebration usually began with bowls of fruit brought out by Mama and Bubbe
(Grandma) Sara.  Papa would then make his entrance laden with nuts and
chocolates wrapped in bits of silver paper and would distribute these treats
to the children.  Zaide, who at the end of the story had left the room in
exhaustion would miraculously reappear, almost hidden beneath a mound of
boxes
and tissue wrapped gifts.  The children would greet his appearance with
whoops
of glee, for, as always, there was at least one gift for each of them:  A
new
hair ribbon for Devorah, a hand made flute for Fishel, a long pair of second
hand pants for Shimah, a hand painted rattle for Rachel, a purse with a
silver
handle for Esther and so forth.  Excitement and glee accompanied the opening
of the gifts which had been so painstakingly wrapped in bits and pieces of
colored tissue paper.  But, it was after the gift giving that real treat of
the evening occurred and that was playing the game "dredel."  Dredel is a
game
of chance played with an octagon top that is spun in turn by each
participant.
Each side of the octagon contains a symbol.  Each symbol represents a
command
such as give, take, give 1/2, take 1/2, match the pot etc.  This was a game
played in a circle with everyone "anteing" a piece of the coveted chocolate
into the pot and risking a spin to lose, match or win the pot.  This
innocent
little game of chance began in the desert 5000 years before and is still
played every year on Chanukah.  It was a game that delighted the children
and,
after the children were put to bed for the night, the men of the house and
any
visitors who would arrive during the evening would play the game for either
money or for shots of Vodka.
This particular year, 1933, when Zaide came into the room to recount his
story
the children noticed that his step seemed heavy.  There was not the usual
blustering and energy in the recounting of the tale that most of them knew
by
heart and at the end of the story, the part where Zaide almost fell into the
circle of children in excitement at the miracle of the lights, this year he
stopped and sat down quietly amongst the children.
"Children," he explained, "this is not only a holiday of joy, it is also a
holiday of remembrance.  We must remember that all through the history of
our
people there have been times of  great suffering and sacrifice.  It is God's
way, in his wisdom, to remind us of the things we should appreciate.
Sometimes we have to sacrifice.  This is one of those years.  This year God
decided that we should spend more time reflecting on what is really
important,
so he decided not to encumber us with distractions such as gifts to cloud
our
contemplation."
The children, not quite grasping the meaning of sacrifice that Zaide was
trying to tell them, albeit did understand that they were not about to
receive
any gifts.  The smaller children started to cry as they had spent the last
few
weeks counting down to the celebration and anticipating the small gifts they
were about to receive.
"Don't cry" Zaide implored.  "This year God decided that the fields should
not
produce enough to give us any more than food on our table.  Next year, in
his
benevolence, he will order the fields to produce twice as much and we will
appreciate the gifts twice as much."  Very little could be done to soothe
the
disappointed children.  Even the older ones were crestfallen.  The arrival
of
Mama and Papa and Bubbe Sara with a meager helping of fruit and chocolates
did
little to restore into the children the spirit of excitement.  Papa brought
out the dredel but even the anticipated game of dredel somehow lacked the
joy
of previous years.
As Mama and Bubbe Sara lit a few more candles to cast a little light on the
dampened spirits, there came a knock at the door.  When Papa opened the
door,
there stood their Christian neighbor Janek, his wife Rushka and their four
sons.  "Happy Holiday to all of you" Janek the big man bellowed.  "I do not
know much of this holiday, as we celebrate Christmas, but I do know that
your
fields have produced as little as mine.  This year my sons and I made some
gifts for our family and we decided that in the true sense of the Christmas
spirit that we would make some for you too."  Out of a bag that one of his
sons carried, Janek produced pinecones decorated with hollyberries.  Another
bag contained hair ribbons decorated with heather.  Still another bag held
an
array of miniature animals carved by Janek's youngest son Mazek.  There were
enough presents in the bags so that every child was given something.
The mood immediately changed from one of somber acceptance to delight.
Everyone talked at once; the children squealed with joy.  Janek also carried
a
bag.  Out of the bag he produced a huge bottle of Vodka and with a sly wink,
he took Papa and Zaide by the arm and sat them down for some holiday cheer..
Rushka's bag contained a homemade soup spoon which sent the excited women
into
the kitchen to immediately test it out.
The game of dredel continued until late in the night.  It was a beautiful
evening of warmth, excitement, and only when the sun crept up to the horizon
did Janek and his family finally take their leave.
"Happy Chanukah" Janek wished the family upon leaving.
"Merry Christmas" the family all chimed in.
It has been 64 years since that special evening.  None of the children ever
forgot the Chanukah of 1933;  it was the best one they ever had.  It was the
last that they would enjoy   for a long time.  It was not long after that,
that most of the family including Zaide, Bubbe Sara, Mama, Papa and 7 of the
11 children perished in the horrors of the Aushwitz Concentration Camp.  The
four children that survived have passed along to their children the feeling
of
brotherhood, sharing and love that this special night generated and I'm able
to recount this story to you today because one of those 4 surviving children
is my mother.
Happy Chanukah and Merry Christmas.
Eve
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