Coming from Los Angeles, an extremely concentrated Jewish city (where there is Adam Sandler, there will be Judaism), the joyful suspense of Hanukkah and what each night entails was a usual occurrence the month of November. Several days out of the week, my reform companions and I would drool over the upcoming celebratory noshes that include potato pancakes, noodle kugel, and brisket fresh out of the oven, prepared for a hungry family of five that could possibly eat for the whole Maccabean army.
Instead of discussing the historical significance of this immensely rebellious and miraculous holiday, we held present interventions to make sure none of us surpassed a Kardashian-caliber budget. Eight days of Hanukkah can get pretty pricey. Considering I am paying out of state tuition to achieve my dreams of becoming a world renowned photojournalist, I think my Hanukkah presents will amount to a depressing stack of paid Student Charge bills.
Besides the fact that the Lieberman menu has been the same since probably the founding year of The Holy Land, Thanksgiving will be sharing the spotlight for the first time in over hundred years. Talk about a plot twist. The next time this overscheduled day will occur is the year 79, 811. This Thanksgivukkah calls for some adventurous measures. Instead of dunking potato pancakes into applesauce, I’m going to live life on the edge and go for the cranberry sauce.
At first I pondered on how I was going to spiritually celebrate two holidays at once, but then I realized both have one aspect in common: religious liberty. The Pilgrims fought against persecution and strived for fresh beginnings in the New World, yet also a clan of Jewish soldiers just a few thousand years before triumphed against a Syrian army for the return of their temple. November 28th is the true modern religious miracle of our world that is going to test thousands of families across the country to accept a change in the feast lineup, but also to remember tradition and the heritage we are so proud to call our own.
Whereas history has clearly repeated itself, so will the amount of leftovers in my fridge. Instead, maybe there will be a little less stuffing this time and a little more latke!
