I open this week, as I do every year at this time, by wishing my friend and colleague, Shavana Abruzzo, a very Happy Anniversary.
Twenty-seven years ago this week, she and I applied for a job in this newspaper’s original office on Sheepshead Bay Road. We were both hired and, in spite of some of you who strongly disagree with our commentaries, we’re still here offering you our thoughts on everything. Between us, we have covered just about every topic there is. Congratulations, my dear, and here’s wishing many more years for you … as many as you want.
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I am Jewish (as if you didn’t already know) and I never get upset when people wish me a Merry Christmas or a Happy Kwanza as long as they don’t wish me harm. This week, I will be celebrating the Jewish holiday of Hanukah, Chanukah, Hanukkah, Channuka, oh my. There is only one way to spell it with the Hebrew letters but in English, one website says ten, another says twelve and still another says sixteen. If you think that’s confusing, give some thought to the dates. Sometimes Chanukah falls out early. Sometimes it is late. When is on time? Does anybody know? Yes. I do. The holiday falls on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev. Now, since the Hebrew calendar does not coincide with the western calendar that we use, we are even more confused.
Some time ago I was visiting a kindergarten class at PS 115 and I asked a Jewish youngster if he knows what Hanukkah is. I got this answer: “Hanukkah is the Jewish Christmas but instead of Santa Claus coming on only one night, Hanukah Harry visits every night for eight nights. Sometimes he brings toys, and sometimes he brings Hhanukkah Gelt. Gelt is money. Sometimes the Gelt is real but most of the time we get coins made of chocolate that look like money and they are delicious.”
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I was in my local Hallmark store shopping for Hanukkah cards and got into my annual conversation with the manager. He admitted that holiday card sales have been down for the past few years and they’ve been getting progressively worse. One doesn’t have to be a marketing expert to understand why. More and more people are sending Internet cards. They’re free and they don’t require postage. But a real downside of e-cards, though, is that it is a bit difficult to pin them to the doorframe.
A bigger reason sales are off is because of the cost. Have you seen the prices of greeting cards lately? Decent greeting cards start at two bucks each and rise from there. Three, four or five dollars for a folded piece of lightweight cardboard with a pretty picture and a sentiment written by a seventh grader is just not worth it. I really understand why more and more of us are printing our own cards on the computer, or doing our shopping at the local dollar store where cards are two for a buck.
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The celebration of Hanukkah deals with the miracle of the oil when one day’s worth amazingly burned for eight days allowing the eternal flame in Jerusalem’s Holy Temple to remain lit. This marvel is recalled by the use of foods fried in oil such as the traditional latkes (potato pancakes).
I am StanGershbein@Bellsouth.net telling my Jewish friends to keep the Hanukkah tradition alive. Eat latkes.
