Mayor Helps Students Celebrate Hanukkah

Mayor Richard Riordan spent Friday, the second day of the Jewish Hanukkah holiday, with students at the Valley Beth Shalom Day School, celebrating with them by lighting the second candles on their menorahs.

After the candles were lit and the Hanukkah blessing was sung, Riordan asked Adina Bender’s second-grade class why they celebrate the holiday.

Student Daniel Barkin was at the ready, laying out the story in rapid-fire, one-breath delivery.

“A long time ago there was a mean king,” he said. “And he didn’t let the Jews have their own religion. . . . They fought, and the Jews only had a few people on their side, but the people on the Greeks’ side came and ruined the temple.”

Barkin went on to describe how the Jewish people rebuilt their temple by the light from a very small amount of oil, which burned eight days and nights, longer than expected.

The children later said they were surprised at how much Riordan knew about the holiday.

“I thought we were going to teach him a lot of that stuff,” said second-grader Adina Alpert. “But it turns out he knew a lot.”

Riordan said a recent visit to Israel sparked his interest in the Jewish culture, which was why he wanted to help celebrate the holiday with the school.

“Hanukkah is a time of celebration for the Jews,” he said, as he viewed dozens of menorahs made by the school’s families. “I thought I’d like to share it with them, in their festivities.”

During the mayor’s visit to the school, a group of sixth-graders gave him a report on all the charitable projects the student body conducts this time of year, including a collection of canned tuna for the poor, and the traditional tzedakah box, filled with money collected for charity.

Riordan said he was impressed with the students’ efforts, especially noting their answer to his question of whether it was better to give than to receive presents.

“You’ve learned very early in life that if you want to be a happy, whole human being, you have to give,” he said.