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LIGHTS page 7
Name: Rabbi Herschel and Chana Finman Residence: Oak Park
Synagogue: Mishkan Israel
Children: Tsivia, 12; Brocha, 10; Hinda, 9; Aidel, 7; Geula, 5; Alexander, 4; Shira, 1
The Finman family has the perfect recipe for a fun
Chanukah. Add a houseful of children and mix to-
gether dreidels, latkes, menorahs and stories for a
memorable celebration.
"We love Chanukah," announces Chana Finman.
"We look forward to it all year. For us, it is a time
for storytelling, sharing lots of wonderful stories about
what the holiday is about. Chanukah comes from the
Hebrew word chinuch, which means to educate.
"We do not give gifts on Chanukah; it's not the fo-
cus. The stories penetrate the children longer than
gifts that get tossed aside."
The whole family gets involved in decorating the
house with art projects the children make at school and
each child lights his own menorah. "They all have their
own light," explains Rabbi Finman. "I personally use
an oil menorah. The older ones have started to use the
oil as well. We go through a lot of olive oil."
Almost every night of Chanukah, the Finmans
have company. Together they share sparkling
wine, latkes, a vegetable spread, donuts and
cheese with friends. "One year I sliced cheddar cheese
very thin, cut them in triangles and overlapped
them on a cracker, making little Magen Davids.
They're my special Chanukah hors d'oeuvres," laughs
Chana.
At Mishkan Israel the children participate in Torah
passages, and then enjoy entertainment, prizes and
raffles. In the neighborhood each year, the Bais Yaa-
cov yeshiva hosts a carnival. "The kids spend the
whole day there, playing games and eating," says
Chana.
"At Chanukah, we offer lessons of morality," ex-
plains Rabbi Finman. "The story is about rededica-
tion. It is a time for recommitting to Judaism. That
is what the Maccabees were fighting for."
Name: Laurie and Alvin Sallen
Residence: Birmingham
Synagogue: Adat Shalom
THE DETR O T J EWI SH NE WS
Children: Sarah, 101/2; Emily, 9; Teddy, 18 months
The Festival of Lights is a bright holiday for bring them out again the next year," says
the Sallens. Each year, they have a big ex- Laurie, who is enjoying Teddy's helping out
tended family Chanukah party with Alvin's this year.
When Sarah was small, Laurie made a
mother, his siblings and nieces and nephews.
large
menorah with lights, and it has
They exchange gifts, play dreidel, sing songs,
discuss the meaning of Chanukah, enjoy become the family's decorative hallmark.
latices and Chanukah cookies. Each family "Being a convert, nothing compares
brings its own menorah, and together they to a Christmas tree when you're a kid,"
is the
light all the menorahs, enjoying the warmth notes Laurie. "I decided Chanukah
of the lights and the family gathering. Oth- festival of lights. I took four pieces of poster-
er nights, at home, each child lights his own board and put them together, and then I
took two blue posterboards and made a
menorah.
Sarah and Emily always help Laurie dec- menorah and glued it on. I made flames
orate the house with an accumulation of with gold, silver and red glitter, and sprayed
nursery school and Hebrew school art pro- it with Fixadent. Then I took little outdoor
jects. "I pack them away each year, and lights and popped them around each flame,
and I plug it in so that each of the flames is
always lit.
"To me, it is big and bright and color-
ful and festive. We hang it over our
kitchen table against a blank wall. The kids
love it."
Before Chanukah begins, the children make
wish lists, and each night they enjoy a gift,
some big, some small. And they love deco-
rating sugar cookies in Chanukah shapes.
"As a family, one thing that is important
about Chanukah, besides the glitz, is that
the kids really understand the meaning of
the holiday. Even more than the miracle of
the oil, it really stands for religious freedom,"
notes Alvin.