Hanukkah is beginning, with Aiken synagogue planning celebration

Nov. 27—The first day of Hanukkah is Sunday, with locals planning to mark the eight-day festival by throwing a party.

Members of the Adath Yeshurun congregation in Aiken will meet at the synagogue on Sunday, Dec. 5, to celebrate, with customary activities and food.

"Traditionally, you light candles on the menorah, so we're asking our members to bring their (menorahs) and we'll have a community lighting," said Alan Brooks, a longtime member of the synagogue. "The traditional food that you serve is potato pancakes, called latkes. One of our members who's a very good cook is going to have the potato pancakes and chicken, and another one of our members plays the guitar and he's going to play some holiday music for us."

The synagogue, located near downtown Aiken at 154 Greenville St. N.W., did not hold a celebration last year due to COVID-19 concerns, but Brooks said they did want to hold something this year. He isn't sure how many members will attend, but he said there's usually between 30-40.

Brooks said the synagogue doesn't convene that often, meeting once a month for Friday night services and on holidays, such as Hanukkah.

Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days, beginning this year on Nov. 28 and ending the evening of Dec. 6. The holiday commemorates the recovery of Jerusalem and rededication of the temple there after the victory over the Syrians by the Maccabee family and its leader, Judah Maccabee, according to Della Hertzberg, a synagogue member.

"When they went to rededicate the temple, they found only one small flask of the uncontaminated sacred oil," Hertzberg said, talking about the oil needed to light the temple.

There was only enough oil for one day and it took eight days to make a new batch.

"Miraculously, that one vial of oil lasted for eight days and that's why the holiday is celebrated for eight days," Hertzberg said.

"The spirit of Hanukkah is about this little light shedding a great light," Hertzberg continued. "The holiday is the holiday of lights."