C

hanukah is a big
holiday at the
Rodgers’ house in
Oak Park. Evan, 9, Jared,
6, and Noah, 3 like to
sing Chanukah songs,
bake together and watch
Chanukah-themed videos
over the holiday. Their
family even helped start
Chanu-Con!, a community-
wide Chanukah festival
hosted by Beth
Shalom of Oak
Park that just
completed its
seventh year.
The event draws
hundreds of
participants and
features contests,
activities, food
and music.
Evan, 9, likes lighting
the menorah, and going to
synagogue for Chanukah.
He likes that there’s a
menorah on a table up on
the bimah and remembers
attending when everyone
brought their own menorah
to shul to light.
His family has latkes
and gelt, and he spins
the dreidel to try and get
a gimmel. His favorite
Chanukah song is
“Chanukah, O Chanukah,”
which he says stands out
because it’s both a good
song and has latkes in it.

“When I hear those
words, it makes me a little
bit hungry,” he says. “It is
a yummy song because
there’s yummy foods in it.”
Evan is one of the only
Jewish kids in his class
and says he’s proud of
his heritage. “I really like
being Jewish,” he says.
“We get to celebrate all
kinds of holidays like Rosh
Hashanah, Yom
Kippur, Shabbat
and Chanukah.”
Jared, 6,
likes eating
chocolate coins
and spending
Chanukah with his
family. The holiday,
he says, is about
“dreidels, coins,
kippahs and candles on
the menorah.” His favorite
part of celebrating the
holiday is attending
Chanu-Con! at Beth
Shalom and jumping in the
bounce house.
And for youngest
brother Noah, 3, his
favorite thing about
Chanukah is a dreidel,
which he likes to spin. He’s
a big fan of jelly donuts
and wearing special
Chanukah shirts on the
holiday. Asked what’s
on his favorite shirt, he
replies, “A menorah.”

Evan and
Jared
Rodgers

Chanu-Con!
Chanu-Con!
and Beyond
and Beyond

DECEMBER 15 • 2022 | 39

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Riding in a Car,
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