'Chanukah Is A Time to Bring Light Into Our Lives'

"Twas the night before Chanukah, boichiks and maidels; not a sound could be heard, not even the dreidels. The menorah was set by the chimney alight and in the kitchen, the Bubbie was hopping a bite. Salami, pastrami, a glaisele tay, and zoyere pickles mit bagels. Oy vay!" -Anonymous.

Standing around a table filled with traditional Jewish dishes, smiles on their faces, members of enjoyed the holiday classic with a twist as they kicked off festivities Thursday evening, observing the third night of Chanukah together at a congregant's home in Bristol.

Sometimes overshadowed by Santa Claus and the commercial aspects of Christmas, Chanukah is observed by hundreds in the greater Southington area. The eight-night holiday celebrates the freedom of all people, said Amy Breakstone, the Bristol resident who has hosted the celebration for the congregation with her husband during each of the past 20 years. Everyone, Jewish or not, has been welcomed, she said.

“The great part about this holiday is that it can mean different things for different people. Everyone is free to celebrate in their own ways,” Breakstone said Thursday night. “It’s a time to bring light into everyone’s lives.”

The story behind the Chanukah celebration is one that many often misunderstand, said Barb Liftman, an Avon resident who is president of the Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation. The holiday, which occurs each December, recognizes the triumph that came out of tragedy.

The holiday commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jersulem after it was destroyed in the Maccabean Revolt. When the remains were recovered, oil was taken that was expected to light a menorah for one night during the darkest time of the year. The oil lasted for eight days and nights and proved to be a beacon of hope, Liftman said.

Today, many families celebrate the historic events that occurred in the second century B.C.E. (Before Current Era) by communing with friends and family, sharing in food and drinks and giving presents such as a dreidel and Chanukah gelt, or gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins, to children of the Jewish faith.

“The celebration is warm and welcoming. It’s about community,” Liftman said.

Rabbi Shelley Kovar Becker travels from Manhatten twice a month and during holidays to provide traditional services for the 38-member congregation, which is home to residents not only from Southington, but surrounding towns including Cheshire, Bristol, Avon and Burlington. Becker and members of the 27-year old congregation traveled to Bristol Thursday to enjoy each other’s company.

“I’ve been able to come to this celebration since I became Rabbi here three years ago,” Becker said. “It’s heartwarming to see. Everyone brings their own menorah and lights it in celebration together – to see the room ablaze and the faces of the kids is a wonderful sight.”

Some at Thursday’s gathering, however, said that Chanukah celebrations in other parts of the world have not been as friendly. Luba Zaslavsky remembers how things were “in the old country” before she found a place where she was free to practice her religion.

Born in the Ukrainian section of the Soviet Union, Zaslavsky said her family was not allowed to practice its religion in public. They had to hide their beliefs and the thought of a Chanukah party was non-existent.

For nine years, Zavslavsky waited for an opportunity to escape, to move to a new place as a refugee. She eventually moved to the country of Georgia and then again to Vienna, Austria, 22 years ago where she said she first saw the joy that was supposed to accompany the holiday.

“We arrived with nothing more than one suitcase to our name,” said Zaslavsky, who has been a Southington resident for almost 20 years now. “We were invited to a synagogue and I remember feeling lifted by the celebration. For the first time in my life, I was proud to be a Jew.”

For others in the area including Debra Lieberman and her daughter, 4-year-old Jessie, the celebration isn’t just fun. Both have learned a lot about their heritage over the past several years and Debra Lieberman said it has been a welcoming and education experience.

But the holiday is fun, Jessie reminded her mother, with toys and food giving her plenty to do throughout most of December.

“My favorite part is the dreidels,” Jessie said.