Lights and Latkes

Hanukkah shares a season, but little else, with Christmas; it is emphatically not the Jewish version of one of Christendom’s holiest days. In fact, Hanukkah, a holiday outside the Jewish canon, almost didn’t make it onto the Jewish calendar at all.

Think about it: December without latkes?

The story of the Jewish guerrilla rebellion against Antiochus of Syria, ruler of the land of Israel, who in 167 BC ordered the desecration of the temple in Jerusalem and the persecution of the Jews who opposed his plan of Hellenization, is recorded in the first and second books of Maccabees. Those books are not part of the Hebrew Bible; they were preserved by the Catholic Church as part of the Apocrypha.

The Jewish rebellion against this oppression was led by Mattathias and his five sons, the Maccabees. Judah Maccabee, who assumed leadership when Mattathias died, defeated Antiochus and liberated Jerusalem. When the Maccabees reclaimed the temple (the word “Hanukkah” means “dedication,” and refers to the Maccabees’ rededication of the temple), they found only one small jar of consecrated oil, enough to burn for only one day. Instead it burned for eight days--a miracle.

We celebrate Hanukkah to honor the Maccabees and their successful fight for independence and for the miracle of the oil--the faith it took to relight the flame and the faith that kept the flame going for eight days.

The rabbis who codified Jewish law in the Talmud were reluctant to commemorate a holiday that celebrated a military victory because the goal is to be free, not necessarily to triumph. The rabbis also hesitated because the victory was a fragile one: Judah’s descendants betrayed one another, persecuted the rabbis and reinvited foreign intervention.

That’s how the story of the oil became the popular explanation for the holiday but, as is also true of many Christmas rituals, the candle lighting was probably borrowed from pagan solstice celebrations.

The custom of giving Hanukkah gelt (coins) dates to 17th century Poland; elaborate gift-giving for Hanukkah started in the 19th century, when Jews came into closer contact with Christmas and Christians.

Hanukkah, a modest little holiday, cannot and should not compete with the glitter and importance of Christmas. The lights of the menorah remind us of the miracle of the oil, both in the temple and as a metaphorical source of light within us; the menorah lights not only the house but the outside world as well.

Like most Jewish holidays, Hanukkah is celebrated with at least one family meal. Traditional Hanukkah foods recall the miracle of the oil, so fried foods are featured. It’s the oil that’s important, not what’s fried in it.

Potato pancakes are a relatively modern custom. No one in Europe knew about potatoes until after the Spanish conquest of Peru in the 16th century, so Hanukkah was probably originally celebrated in Eastern Europe with kasha fritters. In Israel, jelly doughnuts, called sufganiyot, are the holiday treat.

I always make potato latkes for Hanukkah and serve them with homemade applesauce and sour cream. The meal starts with a hearty soup and also includes a large salad. The latkes are the centerpiece, their importance never diluted with brisket or other meat or poultry. Guests are urged to fill up on latkes.

After dinner, get down on the floor (if you can) and play a spirited game of dreidl.

Latkes

Active Work Time: 30 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour

Latkes are a real commitment by the cook. They won’t be crisp and delicious if you make them in advance, though you can make the batter an hour or two ahead of frying; just sprinkle the top with flour to keep the batter from turning altogether brown. The cook must stand and fry while others enjoy the meal; his or her reward is latkes right out of the pan and the delight of her guests.

6 large baking potatoes, peeled and quartered

3 onions, quartered

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 to 1/2 cup flour

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Peanut oil for frying

* Grate potatoes and onions in food processor using small-hole grater attachment; alternatively, you can pulse them with steel blade. Be careful not to over-process or you’ll get a glue-like mess. (If you’re grating potatoes and onions by hand, leave them whole and grate them on largest holes of box grater.) Transfer grated potatoes and onions to sieve set over large bowl. Press down with wooden spoon to release liquid into bowl. With your hands, squeeze remaining moisture from potatoes and onions and spread them out on paper towels. It’s important that potatoes be dry. Put potatoes and onions in large clean bowl.

* Pour off liquid that has drained from potatoes, reserving heavy starch remaining in bottom of bowl. Transfer starch to potatoes and onions.

* Add eggs, along with 1/4 cup flour, salt and pepper. Mix completely with wooden spoon.

* Heat 1/4 inch oil in large heavy frying pan over medium heat to 350 degrees. (I like cast iron.) When oil is almost smoking, add 1/3 cup batter for each latke, pressing down to flatten batter. (I like small, flat, crisp latkes, but others prefer larger, thicker ones. Adjust the quantity of batter to your taste, pressing down or not. Don’t crowd the pan.) Cook until crisp and golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. As each batch is done, transfer to paper towel-lined platter and serve. If you must, you can keep latkes warm 30 minutes or so in 200-degree oven without doing too much damage.

About 2 dozen. Each latke: 86 calories; 209 mg sodium; 35 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.24 gram fiber.

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Friedland is an executive editor at HarperCollins publishers and is author of “Shabbat Shalom” (Little, Brown, $24.95) and “The Passover Table” (HarperCollins, $18).