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HANUKKAH – The Jewish Festival of lights – IN DALIAN

by Batsheva Manes

In Washington D.C., a huge Hanukkiya towered over the large lawn located near the White House, known also as “The Ellipse”. Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, leader of the Washingtonian Jewish community, together with US Attorney General Michael Mukasey, mounted a crane positioned nearby, and the crowd watched closely as they placed a torch up against the large wick to light an oversized Hanukkah candle.

Here, in Dalian Development Zone, no high-caliber figure of any kind was present, nor larger then life candles or candle-holders were used – only twenty something “ordinary” people from Canada, USA, Israel, Russia and China that gathered in one of Hong Mei’s restaurants to light the fifth (out of eight) candle of Hanukkah, using very modest sized candles and candlestick. The air outside was freezing in this mid-December night – minus 50C or so – but inside the private room that was allocated to this event, the atmosphere was warm and gleeful, with people meeting old friends, and making acquaintances with the newly arrived. Songs were sung, candles lit, games played, riddles posed and solved (most of the time…), tops spun vigorously by children and adults alike, and doughnuts stuffed with jam – another traditional symbol of this holiday – were eaten as a special treat at the end of a very Chinese meal that was served by a team of puzzled waiters, who watched curiously the unusual fete of the 犹太人 (You2 tai4 ren2).