MACON, Ga. — Sunday marked the start of Hanukkah around the world and Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar of Temple Beth Israel in Macon invited us over to her home to learn more about the eight-day holiday and traditions.
“Hanukkah is a holiday, it’s the Festival of Lights. This is the darkest time of the year and this is the holiday when we are so happy for the miracle of the story of Hanukkah. There was supposedly a little vial of oil and miraculously with the priest when he came to rededicate the temple thought it was only going to last one day. And lo and behold, it lasted eight, which was the exact quantity of time needed to get more oil to continue to have the petrol flame within the temple itself,” she said.
There are a few foods you make on Hanukkah, like latkes or potato pancakes. They’re made out of potatoes and onions and fried in oil to symbolize the miracle of the oil.
“There's lots of traditions, like people have lots of ways to eat and some people swear by having sour cream and apple sauce, and then less traditional things like cranberry sauce,” said Bahar.
The first night of Hanukkah starts with three blessings, not just two, which are normally said on every other night.
Hanukkah will end on the night of Monday, Dec. 6.