Chanukah Is A Family Affair Each month in this space, L'Chayim will present a Yiddish lesson entitled "Du Redst Yiddish (Do You Speak Yiddish?)" whose aim is to encourage further study of Yiddish. The lesson will include a brief story utilizing the Yiddish words to be studied, a vocabulary list with English translations and a family activity which involves using the new words. Two books which may be helpful for beginning Yiddish students are Yiddish for Beginners by Dr. Joffen and Der Yiddisher Lerer by Goldin. Weinreich's English-Yiddish Dictionary also may be useful. At the conclusion of each lesson will be a suggested list of books for persons who wish to further their knowledge. The lessons were prepared by Mary Koretz of Oak Park. She has taught both children's and adult classes in Yiddish at the Workmen's Circle. Following is this month's lesson: "How do we know when it's Chanukah?" mother asked. "When I shmeck the latkes frying in boymel until they are fartik," answered Jacob. "And when I see the smetenah and epeltzimes that you eat with the latkes," added Laura. "Don't forget the menorah, with its shammus licht and the eight lights that bahteitin the nes of the eight days that the oil burned," said father. "I know it's Chanukah when I see the dreidel spinning, falling on shin, shtel; gimil, gants; hay, halb; and nun, nem," said mother. "But most of all," said father, "we know it's Chanukah because of the fraid and libeh we feel all around us." Vocabulary • shmeck latkes boymel fartik smetenah epeltzimes menorah shammus bahteitin licht nes shin gimil hay nun smell pancakes oil finished sour cream applesauce Chanukah candelabra sexton or special Chanukah candle which lights the other Chanukah candles signify candle miracle letter of the Hebrew alphabet letter of the Hebrew alphabet letter of the Hebrew alphabet letter of the Hebrew alphabet shtel gants halb nem fraid libeh put entire half take joy love Family Activity Have the children mix the latke batter, while the parents fry the latkes. Take turns lighting the menorah. Recommended Reading Read the children's stories and sing the Chanukah songs in the following: Yomtevdike Teg, Mlotek and Gottlieb, 40 holiday songs with music and translieration; The Power of Light, Isaac Bashevis Singer; Chanukah Games, Stories and Puzzles, Sanders. Chanukah Customs Differ Between Ashkenazim, Sephardim By SHIRLEY CHICOREL BEHAR TOYS AND GAMES Aleph-Bet school blocks, wood, ages 1 1/2-5; plastic aleph-bet blocks in a wagon holder, ages 1 1/2 and up; Torah Teddy stuffed bear; giant Chanukah coloring book; pop-up Chanukah books; see, smell and touch Chanukah books; soft menorah, soft dreidel and soft Torah. All available at Borenstein's. Outer space dreidel, ages 5 and up. Available at Spitzer's. AUDIO CASSETTES Language/30, Hebrew and Yiddish, with book and cassette. Available at Borenstein's. Theodore Bikel, Classic Jewish Holiday Songs, adults; Torah Avenue Vol. 8, all ages. Both available at Spitzer's. VIDEO CASSETTES Favorite Bible Stories, VHS format, pre-school and up. Available at Borenstein's. Sesame Street (five episodes) from Israel, VHS format; Hannah Barbera Stories from the Bible, all ages; Lights — A Chanukah Story. All available at Spitzer's. Spitzer's is located at 21770 W. 11 Mile, Southfield. Borenstein's is located at 25242 Greenfield, Oak Park. The Sephardic Jews, descendants of Jews expelled from Spain in 1492, celebrate the Chanukah holiday differently from their Ashkenazic — Jews from Central and Eastern Europe— brethren. It may be in the candlelighting observance or in the traditional foods or in customs derived from their native lands. Sephardic Jew's who left Spain in the late 15th Century settled in the Balkan countries, the Netherlands, North Africa and the countries within the Ottoman Empire, including Turkey and Greece. (Oriental Jews lived in some Moslem countries for almost 2,000 years such as the Persian Jews and Yemenite Jews.) Ladino, the Judeo-Spanish language spoken by Sephardim, was retained in the communities where the exiles lived. It is still spoken today in Turkey, Israel, and in some American homes. Spanish and Portuguese Jews prefer oil over candles in their Chanukah menorot. However, a candle is used to burn the oil in the shamash and the other Chanukah lights. To "proclaim the miracle," the Chanukah lights are placed in or near a window. This practice is continued in America and Holland. The Hanerot Halalu is recited, followed by Psalm 30, "Mizmor shir Hanukat habayit leDavid." The Maoz tzur prayer is not known to Sephardim as a part of the Chanukah ceremony for kindling the lights, but its melody is chanted in the synagogue service to Ein K'Eloheinu. This tradition is observed in America, but not in Holland. The Chanukah lamp used in the synagogue is made of beaten brass which began in Holland a few hundred years ago. Spanish Jews from Turkey and Greece do not give gifts. This is a time when families celebrate the joy of the festival by eating special foods and lighting the candles in the home. Askenazim eat traditional latkes, a fried potato pancake. Sephardic Jews eat bimuelos. They are puffy fritters dipped in powdered sugar or honey. Another name for this food is loukomades. It is served warm. This food constitutes a light meal or a dessert. There are a group of Syrian Jews who originate from Spain who have unique custom in connection with lighting the Chanukah candles. Since their ancestors journeyed from Spain to Syria they were not Continued on Page L-11 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS L-5