S

The Great Chanukah Strike

By BAMI

Everything was topsy-turvy and
the whole community was seething
with excietment. The news was
sensational, and no one talked
about anything else. There was no
doubt about it. It wasn't just a
rumor.
The Chanukah candles were
going on strike.
That was their unanimous
decision. Well — almost unanimous.
Because one voice refused to join
ranks with the others: the
Shammash candle. The oil and the
wicks and the tallow; the orange-
tinted candles and the multicolored
ones — all were firm. They would
not burn this Chanukah!
Here and there a few people
were stunned into sadness. They
knew they couldn't have a
Chanukah without lights. They even
thought of declaring a three-day fast
to mourn the terrible situation.
Another handful of people, those
who never bothered about
Chanukah at all, were, sad to say,
quite pleased. "So the candles are
on strike?" they snickered. "Fine.
We don't care. We'll be on strike
with them."
But most of the people were
just plain confused. It was a

Artwork by Ami Flatt of Oak Park. Daughter of Sam and Dorit Flatt.

The children were especially
mixed up. They always had thought
that Chanukah was their holiday. It
meant listening the story of Judah
Maccabee and eating potato
frightening thing to plan a fast for
pancakes and playing Chanukah
three whole days. But then, on the
dreidel — and everything. Hopping
other hand, to join the candles in a
up and down, the children kept
strike? What would happen to the
asking the grown-ups: "Why? Why?
holiness and fun of Chanukah?
Why? WHY are the candles going
Cancel out Chanukah? It would be
on strike? There must be a reason.
the first time such a thing had
Please, tell us!"
happened in hundreds, no,
Reason! As if those silly
thousands of years!
candles needed a reason. They
"It's an emergency!" cried
some hotheads. "Let's make electric seemed to have lost their heads.
Thought of themselves as glorious
menorahs!
suns, not simple little candles. Once
"Never!" thundered the others.
they used to act their parts in a
"It must be candles or oil or no
friendly, glowing way. When it was
Chanukah at all!"

L-6 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1989

time, they would flicker without a
fuss. Now their anger had flared
forth and they flaunted their pride
before the whole community. They
had even written an editorial and
placed it on the front pages of all
the newspapers. What nerve!
Anyway, here's what the editorial
said:
"Kislev the 17th
"Little Chanukah candles of the
world, unite! In solemn assembly
we decree a strike. We hereby
inform everyone, big and small, fat
and tall, that they will have to do
without us this year.
"We admit that we feel sorry
for all the children everywhere. But
it's the only way for us. What's the

good of burning with alll our might if
hardly anyone cares? We try our
best to remind you of the heroic
struggle of our ancestors, the
glorious Maccabees. But does
everyone pay attention? Ha! Some
don't sing Ma-oz Tzur; some think
it's just a silly old custom, and
some don't even know it's
Chanukah!
"Some light us only as an
ornament, never seeing our inner
flame, never realizing that we stand
for victory over tyranny. We're not
just talldw and wick. We have a
soul. We stand for Jewish history!
"Well and therefore! The strike
which we have proclaimed and
decided upon unanimously —