The Jewish Student Union and Intercultural Leadership hosted an event on the Green to celebrate Hanukkah on Friday, Dec. 13. Students spent lunch spinning dreidels for a chance to win chocolate coins known as gelt, decorating ornaments, and eating jelly-filled donuts, a traditional Hanukkah treat called sufganiyot.
“I think we included around 200 people in these holiday celebrations, and this feels like a really successful point of unity and joy for our school,” sophomore and event organizer Eliza Crowe said.
Hanukkah is known as the Festival of Lights, commemorating the rededication of the second holy temple in Jerusalem. Junior Tamara Rubinsky, who helped organize the event and is a member of JSU, considers Hanukkah a chance to celebrate with her loved ones. “To me, it means spending time with friends, family, and building a community with the people that I care about,” she said.
The holiday is often celebrated by lighting one candle for each of the eight nights, exchanging gifts, and spending time with family and friends.
Hanukkah traditions differ from family to family. For freshman Teagan Forcier-Koranda, the holiday is a chance to give back to others. “On the eighth night, instead of receiving gifts like we do on the other seven nights, we donate to a charity,” she said.
Like many families, freshman Sasha Massaband celebrates Hanukkah through traditional customs.“We have a menorah, we have our candles, we say prayers, and it’s just bonding time with my family,” she said.
The first night of Hanukkah this year will be on Dec. 25 and will last for eight nights as people gather for festivities, prayers, and traditions that strengthen bonds and create lasting memories.
