Holidays in this season...Part One Hanukkah

Hanukkah starts at sundown next Friday, December 11th and continues for eight days.  As the first celebration in what we all consider a "holiday season" I thought I would provide a little insight and background into the origin and rituals of each one.  At Crescent Moon we make it a point to familiarize ourselves with the items used in the celebrations because it pretty much means one of our artists or maybe several have created unique works of art glass from them.  Our Hanukkah menorahs are a part of our complete Judaica line in the shop.  Artists such as Andrew Jackson Pollack, Tamara Baskin and Sara Beames have become favorites here.  Read on...

reprinted from About.Com:Judaism
The festival of Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah) was established to commemorate the Jewish Maccabees' military victory over the Greek-Syrians and the re-dedication of the Second Temple, which had been desecrated by the Greek-Syrians, to the worship of God. Thus, Hanukkah is a celebration of Jewish national survival and religious freedom.

Celebrating Hanukkah
In commemoration of these miracles, a Hanukkah Menorah (also called a Hanukkiah) is lit during each of the eight nights of Hanukkah. Lighting the Hanukkah Menorah is the central observance of the festival. One candle is lit the first night, and an additional candle is lit each successive night. Thus, on the last night of Hanukkah, all eight candles of the Hanukkiah are lit. The candles should be lit by a window or door in order to fulfill the commandment to "publicize the miracle." While lighting the candles, blessings are recited and the ancient chant Hanerot Hallalu is traditionally sung. After lighting the candles, it is a tradition to sing Maoz Tzur.

Hanukkah is a fun festival, especially for children. After lighting the Hanukkah candles together, families (and often invited guests) will eat and play games. Traditional Hanukkah food is oil-rich in commemoration of the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days. Potato pancakes (Latkas in Yiddish, Livivot in Hebrew) are a Hanukkah favorite. Israelis eat Hanukkah doughnuts called soofganiot. Dreidel (sivovon in Hebrew) is a traditional Hanukkah game, with game rules so simple that the whole family, from toddlers to grandparents can play together. The custom of giving Hanukkah gelt (money) to children has evolved into a gift-giving tradition in many Jewish families today.

Here are some of the Hanukkah items currently on display here at Crescent Moon.
                                

A Yad is not a Yard in Boston

With Rosh Hashanah approaching at the end of the month, and the expansion of our art glass Judaica line, I thought it would be appropriate at this time to explain some of the most interesting works of art depicting the pieces used in the rituals of the Jewish religion. One such item is the yad. Most yads found in homes and synagogues are made of metal. But leave it to an inspired artist, particularly a glass artist, and you will discover what we here at Crescent Moon have; simply the most beautiful works of art by a few Jewish artists. Wikipedia is my resource of choice to look up definitions or to sort out information. The wiki below provides the best explanation for a yad.

A yad (Hebrew: יד‎), literally, "hand," is a Jewish ritual pointer, used to point to the text during the Torah reading from the parchment Torah scrolls. It is intended to prevent anyone from touching the parchment, which is considered sacred; additionally, the fragile parchment can be damaged by the oils of the skin. While not required when chanting from the Torah, it is used frequently. A yad can be made of any number of materials, though silveris most common. The yad is often shaped like a long rod, with a small hand and an index finger pointing from it.

Now that you know what a real yad is…you’ll never confuse it with a yard pronounced by a Bostonian! The picture above is a cobalt yad flame-worked by Andrew Pollack, a Crescent Moon artist from New Orleans, Louisiana. Crescent Moon has four other Judaica artists with Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Hanukah art glass items. More on the artists and art as we go along.