The tough decision of whether you want sour cream or applesauce on your latkes is fast approaching. Hanukkah is almost here and with that, communities come together to celebrate a miracle and indulge in traditional fried foods.
The age-old debate over applesauce vs. sour cream topping off your potato pancakes is just the beginning, as a new celebratory event comes into focus this year.
The eight-daylong holiday of Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, falls just after Thanksgiving this year, Nov. 28 to Dec. 5.
The Men’s Club at Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills is planning its first ever 8th Crazy Night outdoor community Hanukkah celebration, hosted by Adat Shalom Synagogue, Frankel Jewish Academy and Hillel Day school, on Dec. 5. The event’s name was inspired by comedian Adam Sandler’s 2002 animated holiday musical, “Eight Crazy Nights.”
“The idea came from the Men’s Club and Adat Shalom’s leadership got involved and decided to ask others to participate,” says Jaron Friedman, a member of Adat Shalom’s Men’s club. Friedman and his family live in Huntington Woods and have been part of Adat Shalom Synagogue for five years. He joined the Men’s Club about three years ago.
Admission to the community celebration is $18 per car. The event will feature kosher food, games, fire pits, hot chocolate, a performance by Detroit Circus, DJ Phreddy, a photo booth and live music.
Although there are always Hanukkah events in Detroit, Friedman wanted something more family friendly and closer to home that wouldn’t conflict with his kid’s bedtime schedules.
“Other communities have events that surround Hanukkah, and it always made me wish we had something like that,” Friedman says. “It was the vision of all of us (in the Men’s Club) to think of how we can bring this to our community.”
The Men’s Club also is collecting donations for Bottomless Toy Chest in Troy, and encourages all participants to bring a toy donation.
The Festival of Lights commemorates an ancient miracle.
As the story goes, following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C., the Seleucid Empire captured the holy Temple of Jerusalem and erected inside an altar to the Greek god Zeus. Their king, Antiochus, outlawed the Jewish faith and required the people to worship Greek gods instead. The Jews who resisted were persecuted under Antiochus’ rein, but the Maccabees rebelled.
Judah the Maccabee won back Jerusalem and restored the Temple in 164 B.C. But the Seleucids left only enough oil to light the temple’s candelabrum for one day. The people desperately holding onto the Temple were amazed to find that the oil burned for eight days, an event today known as the miracle of the oil.
“This story is not mentioned in any scripture or the Bible,” says Rabbi Asher Lopatin, director of the JCAC/AJC in Bloomfield Hills. “The menorah became so important because rabbis of old wanted to have an alternative to the military story. They wanted this to be a spiritual holiday about the miracle of the menorah.”
As a way to remember the story, fire and pure olive oil are significant parts of traditional celebrations, both in the burning lights and in the foods — such as latkes — that are enjoyed during the holiday.
Hanukkah is a minor Jewish holiday, but gained popularity because of its proximity to the Christian holiday of Christmas. Jews give their children gifts during the eight days of Hanukkah, and commemorate the miracle of the oil by lighting a menorah, nine-branched candelabra with four candles on each side and a taller center candle. Once a day for eight days, the “attendant” central candle, called the shamash, is used to light the other candles one by one each day until they are all glowing. Jewish families customize their tables by choosing from a number of styles of menorahs, which come in all sizes, colors and designs.
A community menorah lighting is an important tradition for any Hanukkah celebration. In order to include everyone, there will be a community parade starting at 6 p.m. that will transport a 6-foot tall menorah to Jewish Senior Life in West Bloomfield so that those unable to attend the main party still can be part of the fun.
To purchase tickets for 8th Crazy Night, visit jlive.app/events/1182. For more information about Adat Shalom, visit adatshalom.org/.
