Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking
Happy Hanukkah (Chanukah)!
November 27 to December 5, 2013
 |
| Nine Candle Menorah. Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood |
This year, the first day of
Hanukkah happens to fall on Thanksgiving.
It's a once in more than 70,000-year event. This lineup of the first day of Hanukkah with Thanksgiving is incredibly rare.
That's not going to happen again for thousands and thousands of years. Calendars aren't going up that high - so no one knows exactly when it could happen again.
Hanukkah (Chanukah), based on a Hebrew word meaning "dedication" is based on a deep sense of gratitude for God's blessings.
Hanukkah (Chanukah) is an eight-day celebration commemorating Jewish rebel victory over Syrian forces, and the cleansing of Jerusalem's temple.
According to the story, one day's supply of oil miraculously burned for eight days, allowing the re-dedication of the temple to be completed.
How to Celebrate Hanukkah (Chanukah)
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/default_cdo/jewish/Hanukkah.htm
What is the difference between
the seven candle and the nine candle Menorah?
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Difference_between_nine_candle_and_seven_candle_menorahs#slide1
 |
| Seven Candle (blue) for Shabbat (Sabbath) and Nine Candle Menorah for Hanukkah. Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood |
Nine-candle menorahs are one candle holder
for
each of the eight days of Hanukkah plus
a shamash, the service candle.
The Shamash, The Service Candle
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://mazornet.com/holidays/chanukah/menorah-shamash.htm
Seven-candle
holders
are one holder for each day of creation.
MENORAH
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://www.chabad.org/library/howto/wizard_cdo/aid/597113/jewish/The-Menorah.htm
JEWISH BLESSINGS
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/103874/jewish/Blessings.htm
Hanukkah Recipe: Potato Latkes
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Potato-Latkes-I/
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://kosherfood.about.com/od/hanukkah/r/han_latkas_pot.htm
Here is a Hanukkah STORY from our friend, Sam Franc.
HANUKKAH
I am Jewish. We are Abraham's descendants from the Tribe of Judah. My great-grandfather still lives in Israel. My family has been on our land in Israel forever.
My mother, grandmother and great-grandmother clean a LOT before Hanukkah. Everything is EXTRA clean.
Grandpa says Hanukkah is a time of celebration where you get over the past, and turn over a new leaf. You tell everyone what you have against them, and you forgive. You do not confront to cause trouble - but to forgive.
There is wine for the adults, grape juice for the children, and lots of singing. We sing and laugh and play games, and give gifts each day, and sing some more, but no cursing. Grandpa (Rabbi) Joseph or Great-Grandpa (Rabbi) Jacob re-tell the story of the Miracle of the Maccabees.
God proved to His people through the darkest time in their life that He is always there.
Miracle of the Maccabees
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/219028/jewish/Miracle-of-the-Maccabees.htm
The first Hanukkah I remember (1995) I was three years old. I am the youngest of three boys, so I got to light the first candle (with my parent's help) to begin Hanukkah.
Great-grandfather, Jacob, made our Menorah out of wood, sealed it, and then added a metal part that holds the oil. You have to put oil in it, or it will not light.
The Miracle of the Maccabees is relevant today.
To me, Hanukkuh is a sign of HOPE even through the darkest times - God is always with us.
Each night of Hanukkah, at supper, we reflect upon the events of the past year, and how we see God in certain moments that perhaps we didn't realize before.
My oldest brother, Tommy, was a senior in high school in 2004. He was in a terrible motorcycle accident. The doctors said he would not live. He was in a coma for one week. Tommy had no brain pattern, and was on life support. We were told to say goodbye to him.
My mom held Tommy's hand and began to tell him goodbye, just before the life support was to be turned off.
It's a mystery.
Tommy jerked his own breathing tube out and said: "Can I have a cheeseburger?"
We're Jewish, and he asked for a cheeseburger.
During Hanukkah, we realized God showed us HOPE and FAVOR during a dark time in our lives. Tommy survived, although he was paralyzed from the waist down, and lived his life in a wheelchair.
We were in Israel at Great-Grandpa (Rabbi) Jacob's house for Hanukkah 2012. For the first time since Tommy's accident in 2004, he began to have feeling in his legs.
Tommy stood up at the Hanukkah table, and held on to the table. He couldn't walk yet, but he felt his feet!
Tommy ran a marathon/triathlon in September 2013: swimming, biking and running! He always wanted to play with his three sons, and now he has a baby girl, too.
Once again, God showed us HOPE and FAVOR.
I am Jewish.
My family and I are all Messianic Jews.
We are Abraham's descendants from the Tribe of Judah. My great-grandfather still lives in Israel. My family has been on our land in Israel forever.
We have a lot to thank God for this Thursday, Thanksgiving, and Hanukkah 2013.
Sam Franc
 |
| Jesus washing Peter's feet. Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood |
Sam lives in the United States. He speaks Hebrew, and lived in Israel to attend Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Messianic Prophecies
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://christianity.about.com/od/biblefactsandlists/a/Prophecies-Jesus.htm
Theistic Evolution Faith and Science;
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
Josephus and Jesus Christ
http://www.theistic-evolution.com/josephus.html
Theistic Evolution Faith and Science;
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
Josephus and Jesus Christ
http://www.theistic-evolution.com/josephus.html
Hebrew University
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://new.huji.ac.il/en/
Happy Hanukkah!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks for stopping by!
Come back often, and invite a friend!
Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking
No comments:
Post a Comment