02 Dec
Culture, History, Latest, Religion

The Secret History of Hanukkah

By Gabriel Weinstein Students in Hebrew schools and Jewish day schools learn that Hanukkah is the celebration of the Maccabees’ improbable military triumph and the miraculous burning of the Beit Hamikdash’s (Holy Temple's) Menorah for eight days, a holiday for crooning festive tunes and wagering intense games of dreidel. But Hanukkah’s origins in the Nayrot festival are usually never mentioned during classroom discussions or a meal over latkes. Nayrot (light) was an ancient winter holiday celebrating the increased daylight promised by the winter solstice, and was observed in a way similar to Hanukkah. Nayrot had similar qualities and occurred around the same time as the Greek-Syrian holiday celebrating sun god Kronos-Helios’s birthday, which was observed by Jews and non-Jews in Israel and Greek occupied territories. Households kindled eight flames on a fireboard in their house each night...

Continue reading

01 Dec
Culture, Latest, Misc, Religion

Rededicating Hanukkah Foods

By Merav Levkowitz For those of us with food allergies and intolerances, social events tend to be awkward and isolating. So many Jewish events revolve around food and involve eating in social settings or at the houses of others. Though many Jews are used to  accommodating kashrut, vegetarianism, and lactose intolerance, which is common among Jews (but irrelevant during a kosher meat meal!), it can be uncomfortable to ask even the most accommodating host to modify his/her menu or recipes and cook differently, especially when old family recipes are at hand. Celiac disease is one such dietary restriction that requires extra attention and is rising in the prevalence in general and especially among Jews. Celiac disease is, in a nutshell, an autoimmune digestive disease in which the body is unable to tolerate gluten, the protein in wheat,...

Continue reading

30 Nov
Culture, Latest, Moment Magazine

Recipe: Bumuelos In Red Wine Sauce

Here's another great Hanukkah recipe.  Jews of Spanish origin developed bumuelos or buñuelos—fritters or pancakes fried in olive oil and dipped in honey or sugar syrup or sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar—as sweet Hanukkah treats.  Here's a modern take on the Sephardi classic! BUMUELOS IN RED WINE  SAUCE Makes about 14-15 (Serve 2-3 per portion) For the Bumuelos: 1 cup water ½ cup butter Pinch salt 2 teaspoons sugar 1 ½ cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour 4 eggs Canola oil for frying For the Red Wine Sauce: 2 cups sugar ⅔ cup dry red wine 2 cinnamon sticks 4 whole cloves Prepare the Red Wine sauce first: Mix the ingredients together in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the syrup thickens to the consistency of honey. Keep warm....

Continue reading

29 Nov
Arts & Culture, Culture, Latest, Moment Magazine

Recipe: Sweet Potato Latkes with Spiced Maple Syrup

With Hanukkah approaching fast, people everywhere are getting excited to dine on treats such as latkes and Sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts).  But after eight days, those delicious dishes can get tiresome.  This year, why not try out a little variation? According to Phyllis Glazer, modern takes on traditional foods are becoming all the rage in Israel (check out her article on the history of latkes in the current issue of Moment here!).  Here is one of our favorites: Sweet Potato Latkes with Spiced Maple Syrup Makes 10-12  (4-6 servings) For the Latkes: 1 pound sweet potatoes 2 eggs ½  teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼  cup matzah meal Pinch salt Pinch white pepper 2-4 tablespoons light olive oil for frying For the sauce: 1 cup real maple syrup ½  teaspoon grated fresh ginger ¼  teaspoon ground nutmeg Pinch of ground cloves ...

Continue reading

09 Dec
Latest, topics

White House Hannukah party- are you invited?

By Caroline Kessler The onset of December must mean only one thing for Jews in the Capitol, at least according to the Washington Post’s article on the annual White House Hanukkah Party. Faulting the recession, the Obama administration announced that the guest list would shrink by about half, to 400 people. This comes as quite the contrast to the Bush administration’s lavish 800-person gatherings, which has caused some Washington Jews to wrinkle their noses and question Obama’s affection for members of the tribe. But the article tried not to harp on what appeared like typical Jewish kvetching. The article notes that while White House Hanukkah parties occurred in previous administrations,  it was W. Bush who made it a go-to social event for politically savvy Washington Jews. It rapidly grew in scope and grandeur throughout the years of...

Continue reading