The Season of Giving--It’s Hanukkah

Not everyone is buying Christmas presents this time of year. There are those who buy goodies for Hanukkah, and the Temple Sinai of Glendale’s annual “Channukah Faire” on Sunday has everything anyone could need for the holiday--including menorahs, candles, gelt, dreidels and wrapping paper.

Even if you don’t celebrate Hanukkah, you will still find plenty of costume jewelry, decorated shirts, home accessories and other gifts on hand.

“The whole community is welcome,” said Gayle Moskowitz, who is coordinating the event.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is the eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the reconsecration of the Temple of Jerusalem after it was recaptured from marauding Syrian Greeks in 165 BC.

According to tradition, supplies had been cut off, but a ritual lamp miraculously burned for eight days, even though it only had oil enough for one. Hence, the lighting of eight candles on the menorah, one on each night of the festival.

Moskowitz said gift giving became a part of the holiday as Jews became more assimilated into Christian communities. Even now, Orthodox Jews only give Hanukkah gelt, which is chocolate coins covered with gold. For more liberal Reform Jews there are no restrictions.

The different spellings of the holiday can be confusing. The word is a transliteration from the Hebrew alphabet and has no precise English spelling.

“Our temple spells it all different ways,” Moskowitz said with a laugh.

Hanukkah technically begins this year on Dec. 19. And there aren’t that many days left until that other December holiday. Anyone looking for just that right gift, no matter what they celebrate, can go to the temple’s social hall, 1212 N. Pacific Ave., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free.