A Shining Light: all candles can cast a glow

At our Hebrew school, we always celebrated the various holidays, both big and small. Hanukkah was a particular favorite since our class, being the eldest students, entertained the residents of a seniors' home. Each year the teacher would select eight students to sing and perform as Hanukkah candles and competition was fierce for the part of the shamash, or head candle. It was a very desirable position for all the students since the shamash person had a prominent place above all the rest.

Not blessed with a good singing voice or even mediocre singing ability, my chances were slim at best to play any candle, never mind the head candle. The ultimate rival for anyone aspiring to win the part was Zelig, who had the voice of an opera star. Not only did he have the best singing voice, he was also the top student, scholastically and the teacher's favorite. Whenever holiday games were played including spin the dreidel, Zelig won everything, which didn't exactly ingratiate him with his fellow students.

Auditions for parts were held a few weeks before the onset of the holiday and the best I could hope for was a minor part and only if the rest of the students had an off day. Each student auditioned and as expected, Zelig once again got the lead, which irritated me and all the students, no end. My resentment was eased somewhat by being assigned the role of a minor candle, probably out of pity more than anything else. Those who weren't chosen became part of a "tra-la-la" chorus doing their thing at the appropriate time.

There was a definite air of excitement when we arrived at the senior's home, ready to perform in front of a live audience who were, for the most part, walked in with the help of walkers or in wheelchairs into a large auditorium where we were lined up on stage, anxious to perform. Glancing around the room, many of the seniors appeared to be dozing. Undeterred, the first students opened the concert and sang well as did those who followed. It was my turn and my voice for a change, didn't fail me. Always the consummate performer, Zelig opened  his mouth and it was if a chorus of angels had entered the room. His voice, strong and melodic, all attention was riveted on the young singer. Here we had put on the performance of our young lives and Zelig received all the acclaim, again. Cheers and clapping followed and he bowed taking it all in like the star he knew he was.

After performing a variety of Israeli dances and once the recital was over, we mingled with the audience but I was consumed with the memory of Zelig and the sound of the applause he received. My sulking was interrupted by an elderly woman with a trembling body wheeled over to talk to me, smiling, while making an effort to talk.

"Thank you, she uttered weakly and breathlessly. "You were all wonderful. How special you all are to visit us."

There was the sudden realization that it wasn't important who was the head candle or who had the best voice. It was significant to our audience that we had taken to time to come at all.

It wasn't long after our successful performance that Zelig's voice finally broke and he never knew whether he would sing soprano or alto. Tough luck for him. My voice, on the other hand, never changed and could always be depended upon to sing off-key.

THE DREIDL KING - A MIRACLE OF A DIFFERENT KIND

Origin of DREIDEL

Yiddish dreydl, from dreyen to turn, from Middle High German drǣjen, from Old High German drāen — more at throw

First Known Use: 1916

 

:  a 4-sided toy marked with Hebrew letters and spun like a top in a game of chance

 

:  a children's game of chance played especially at Hanukkah with a dreidel

It's time for the annual posting and sharing of my Chanukah short story first written some years back. Tweaked and edited over the years, reading it always makes me smile - and brings back memories of Zelig. Hopefully, it will do the same for anyone reading this. Even small miracles come in different and unexpected ways. This year, the holiday of Chanukah begins on December 16 and lasts for eight days.


There was the usual sense of excitement among students attending the Chavarim Afternoon Hebrew School a couple weeks before the onset of Chanukah. Throughout the school spinning dreidels whirled around the floor surface in anticipation of the annual competition held on the first night of Chanukah. Even then practice was no guarantee of a successful outcome of deposing "the dreidel king" who was defending his title for the fourth year in a row.

If there was anyone who personified the ideal qualities in a student it was Zelig Bornstein. At ten years of age he could do no wrong. A brilliant student academically, he was also blessed with the voice of an angel and it was a given that he would sing the part of lead candle in the annual Chanukah concert. As if that wasn't enough to cause jealousy and rivalry among classmates, he always won the much anticipated annual dreidel competition.

Among the students of Mr. Meldrum's class, there was the general belief that his cobalt blue dreidel with gold lettering on the sides possessed magical properties. There could be no other explanation to account for his perpetual dominance other than a mysterious and powerful outside source was at work, unavailable to his classmates. A few brave participants had come close to deposing him but somehow Zelig always managed to win out in the end. To further undermine his competitors confidence "The Dreidel King" did nothing to dispel the air of mystery surrounding his acumen.

"It's all right here," he would boast when asked the secret of his success, pointing to his wrist and flicking his fingers one-by-one to demonstrate his unbeatable technique, "and my magical dreidel of course.”

He never divulged any background information on how it was acquired and neither would he allow anyone to touch it much less give it a spin, further adding to the mystique.

"He" doesn't like leaving my hands," he would proffer in the way of an excuse, speaking of his
top as if it was a living thing or a pet.

Externally, I professed animosity towards him as did the others, but internally I adored him from afar. However, this did not diminish my desire to win and I practiced fervently in the hope of improving my spin. I longed to emerge victorious if for no other reason than to make Zelig aware that I was alive or at least be aware of my presence. At our age, it wasn't considered socially unacceptable to acknowledge the existence of the opposite sex, and even if he did harbor some stirrings of romantic feelings, he hid them well from me.

It would be fair to say that nearly every student in Mr. Meldrum's class dreamed of wresting the title away from him. We discussed the situation amongst ourselves, plotting a course of action that could de-throne him. Dreidel tossing techniques were assessed including "spit-shots" in which the "toss-ee" would spit or lick fingers to acquire more control of the toss, disallowed by Mr. Meldrum for hygienic reasons. Finger exercises were evaluated in addition to the benefits of knuckle cracking workouts before the competition, all of which were eventually discarded as ineffectual. Deep down inside we knew that the end result was out of our hands in the true sense of the word and in those of the fates. There was always the glimmer of hope that perhaps the fates would smile on one of us. Any one of us - except Zelig.

On the day of the competition, like a conquering hero, "King" Zelig took center-stage tossing his dreidel from hand-to-hand as he walked, attempting to psyche out the participants. It was a piece of pure theatre as he produced a blue satin drawstring bag and reaching in, retrieved the cobalt blue dreidel smiling all the while. We took our places around the table, our hands clasped around the dreidels, waiting for our turn. As the reigning champion he spun first, achieving the "gimel" and winning the first round. It was the expected results. Dreidel competitors fell like dominos.

One by one Zelig knocked them out of the game until finally it was my turn. All eyes were upon me as I opened up my hand, gently allowing a cobalt blue object with gold lettering on the sides to drop on the surface of the table. There was an audible gasp from fellow students accompanied shortly thereafter by excited whipers.

"D'ya see her dreidel?" the word went out. "It's the same one as Zelig?s!"

At tournament time a large table was set up in the middle of the classroom and dreidels distributed to students. King Zelig tossed his dreidel from hand-to-hand, smiling smugly and acting self-assured. As the reigning champion Zelig spun first, achieving the letter "g" or "gimel", which meant that he won the first round. One by one we took turns and I landed on "hay", acquiring half of the pot composed of chocolate coins and other goodies, which pleased me no end. For the next few turns the dreaded "shin" turned up denoting a loss, accompanied by groans of disappointment from fellow students. Like many of the stories we were told focusing on unsurpassable victories over adversity, things turned in my favor. The king was dethroned and long live the new champion. Me.

Jubilant cheers broke out among fellow students as they savored the moment for which they had all waited. My adversary, meanwhile, appeared stunned and in shock. Consumed with laughter and staring triumphantly into his eyes, I couldn't help but notice his were brimming with tears. It was bad enough being dethroned but having it done by a girl, was more than his young ego could handle in one day.

I could have chosen to ignore him and savor the moment of victory, since it was a long time coming and it probably wouldn't happen again. Instead, upon realizing that he had been humiliated in front of his male friends, a showdown was suggested to determine the final victor. Needless to say, he amazingly emerged victorious.

He never did acknowledge my presence or reach out to thank me for my selfless gesture, in all the years of our attending Hebrew school together. He did allow me to spin first in a subsequent re-match the following year, presumably as a good will gesture on his part. In my mind I would always be queen to his king, be it only for one occasion and that was better than nothing. C'est la vie. Sometimes you win and sometimes you gotta lose.

(J)elvis lives in a New York Chanukah show

According to the promos, it's going to be a hunka, hunka Chanukah show. He'll shake, he'll rattle and may have some people rolling in laughter in a fun Chanukah music performance to be held on December 25th.

We're talking here about Jelvis, the Jewish Elvis.

The event to take place on the fifth day of Chanukah, is part of the Sephardic Music Festival Light Up the Holidays on Xmas Day at the Highline Ballroom in New York City.

Jelvis, also known as "the King of Lox'n'Roll" will for this night, will put on his blue suede yarmulke (skull cap) and get the audience up and singing with such well known favorites as "Shul House Rock", "Are You Hungry Tonight" and of course, the very popular-ish, "Oy Vey, My Way."

Given that it's also the holiday season for everyone, he will be joined by his back-up group, the
Merry Meshugganah Maccabees and Guitar Hero, Hiro Keitora, belly dancer, Bahita and sword swallower, Adam First Readl Man. There was also be a special appearance by the puppet, Elfis.

A portion of the proceeds will go go Mazon: a Jewish Response to Hunger www.mazon.org

Meanwhile, if you can't make it, you can see the master in action here on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtbMA6ABb1M

Uh-huh...

ADAM SANDLER EXPRESSES HIS VIEW OF CHANUKAH IN SONG

For many Jews the holiday of Chanukah is the lighting of candles - 1 candle per day for 8 days - in a Chanukah menorah or candelabra and the playing of the dreidel game. It is also some good eating... Actually, many of Jewish-related activities includes food... Anyway, we're talking here about latkes or fried potato pancakes, jelly donuts(sufganiot)and other goodies.

However...if you wanna know what Chanukah is really about, watch this YouTube video with Adam Sandler and chorus. Enjoy - I do! Fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUFrt8oHbXQ&feature=related