City, I noticed that the blue candle was in the middle and now it is at the end. What is the significance?

the only significance is that i put it there!
the color of the candles doesn't really matter.
there were some for sale at the Temple, i wished i had been able to get them.
they were multi-coloured with etching and frosting, very pretty!

cvs across the street isn't carrying any Hannukah stuff this year, which i didn't find out until about an hour before lighting the candles.

we ended up, after a series of attempts to find candles, at the big wal-mart.
there were a whole four shelves with stuff!
including plastic garlands with little menorahs and Star of Davids....what are we supposed to hang that on?
anyway, we found some nice candles from Israel, but what was funny was what was on top of the four shelf display~ a bunch of Christmas tree angel toppers!

I don't like that CVS. I find the pharmacy staff to be pretty rude how about you? The young boy that works in the pharmacy isn't bad but the others I just don't care for.

The menorah (or Chanukia in Hebrew) is Russian, probably made in the mid-1800's. I found it in the attic of a house adjacent to our synagogue during a renovation when I was a kid. Our congregation's historian at the time was a friend and neighbor, and when I brought it to him he told me I could keep it as long as I never ever sold it. It's one of the few things that I've "religiously" held onto since childhood, and G-d willing it will be passed onto our progeny down the road.

Third night, with a bit of a twist. Explanation below.

[attachmentid=1408]

Our synagogue is starting a Thursday night bingo game as a fundraiser. Tonight was our "trial run", just for congregants to learn their jobs, and many of us brought our menorahs so we could light them at the proper time.

So here you have probably the first photo of a Chanukah menorah burning in the bingo hall of the Knights of Columbus on New Danville Pike.

We will host bingo at K of C every Thursday at 6pm, open to the public, with pretty decent prizes. Come visit us starting next Thursday.

Faith and gambling???

I wonder if the Catholics have the Advent wreath lit while playing bingo.

No offense intended to why? and citydweller. Just can't imagine mixing the two.

City, what is the signifigance of the gold coins?

It's merely ironic that we celebrated the onset of the holiday with a delicious pair of stuffed pork chops, purchased ready-to-bake at Weis, no less

Day seven. Sharing the joy with CVS shoppers via front window.

[attachmentid=1421]


The coins - Chanukkah "Gelt" (Yiddish for money). In the earlier day of the holiday coins were given to the children each night, not gifts. The children would use the coins to play the dreidel game. Once Chanukkah was Christmatized and gifts came into vogue, the candy coins became the substitute "money" for playing the game.

[ I know a Jewish man who has a bacon press in his home but no menorah. What's with that???

Ummm ..... I don't want to sound stupid ... I just started reading this thread ... But I was wondering ..... Jewish and eating filled Pork Chops?? Did I miss something??? I thought they swore swine off ... Like thousands of years ago!!!

Interesting note .... I know a Jewish man who has a bacon press in his home but no menorah. What's with that???

Day seven. Sharing the joy with CVS shoppers via front window.

[attachmentid=1421]
The coins - Chanukkah "Gelt" (Yiddish for money). In the earlier day of the holiday coins were given to the children each night, not gifts. The children would use the coins to play the dreidel game. Once Chanukkah was Christmatized and gifts came into vogue, the candy coins became the substitute "money" for playing the game.

The candles must burn for at least 1/2 hour. Some authorities also hold that one should do no work during that time period as it is a sort of micro-Sabbath.

Day eight, last day.... sigh.

[attachmentid=1423]

Thank you all for sharing our holiday with us.... especially you, Whirly

A politically-correct seasonal niceness to all, and to all a relatively decent night's lack of awareness !!!! ho ho ho

actually, city, from the laws of Hanukkah...

"The miracle and salvation of Hanukkah were a result of the actions of Jewish women. Therefore, for at least half an hour after the flames of the menorah are kindled, women should not engage in work".

The wreath's symbolism of the advent (coming) of Light into the world is clear. The gradual lighting of the four candles, one on each Suday of the Advent season, combined with the liturgical colors of the candles (purple is the penitential color used during Advent and Lent; rose is a liturgical color used only on Gaudete Sunday in Advent and Laetare Sunday in Lent) help to symbolize not only our expectation and hope in Our Savior's first coming into the world, but also in his Second Coming as Judge at the end of the world.

The wreath itself is also symbolic. The circle of evergreen in which the candles are placed represents everlasting life. The seedpods, nuts and cones used to decorate the wreath are symbolic of resurrection, and fruits represent the nourishing fruitfulness of the Christian life.

maybe next year we can get one of you bums over so we can make you latkes!

ps.
br- i did not eat any of our gelt.
just some at bingo!