TRADITION & THE FESTIVAL of LiGHTS

Sunday night the Jewish community in La Crosse gathered together to celebrate the 6th night of Chanukah in the city's synagogue social hall by first lighting their menorahs (candelebras) as the age old blessing was recited followed by singing Ma'oz Tzur, Rock of Ages. 

The traditional Rock of Ages's lyrics are a poem written in the 13th century referring to the Hasmonean stronghold in Bethlehem  originally sung in homes, but began being sung in synagogues in the early 19th century. Little did I know there are six stanzas  because generally we just sing the first/ 1st and 5th. Usually we sing it both in Hebrew and English.

"Rock of Ages, let our song, praise Thy saving power;
Thou, amidst the raging foes, wast our sheltering tower.
Furious they assailed us, but Thine arm availed us,
And Thy Word broke their sword, when our own strength failed us.
And Thy Word broke their sword, when our own strength failed us.

Children of the martyr race, whether free or fettered,
Wake the echoes of the songs where ye may be scattered.
Yours the message cheering that the time is nearing
Which will see, all men free, tyrants disappearing.
Which will see, all men free, tyrants disappearing."

Upon googling the song I also discovered the poem is acrostic twice. The first letter of the five stanzas spell out the composer's name (Mordechai-מרדכי) and in the final stanza the letters spell out 'hazak' which translates 'strong'.

Our celebration was simple as is the holiday with a deli style dinner buffet with cold cuts, hot dogs, cole slaw, chips and of course, latkes (potato pancakes) with apple sauce. Foods cooked in oil are symbolic to recall the destruction of the temple and its sanctuary eternal light's last container of oil miraculously lasting 8 days.

Of the set eight tables in the social hall last night, half were filled with small children which is exciting as the congregation is small and children are our future. Activities to keep all the families busy from a coloring project at each table to interpret the holiday's story to art stations to create a paper dreidl/ create a joint sticker art project / play dreidl, the top game.

The evening was boisterous, mingled with voices of visiting and children. L'dor v l'dor from generation to generation to continue sharing traditions that bind us to the past. As one of the lines from Rock of Ages says "From every age a hero or sage came to our aid."  From our mouths to G-d's ears.

Link to tune: Rock of Ages