Brooklyn, New York Yes, you read that correctly. It is not a mistake. You did not imagine it. There is an actual organization called Major League Dreidel; and they do have an annual Dreidel competition. It is the Dreidelpolluza of Hanukkah-related non-sporting events. And though it is only a few years old, I’m guessing that somehow, in the foreseeable future, it is … [Read more...]
TEMPLE DE HIRSCH SINAI
Seattle, Washington Temple De Hirsch is one of the oldest and most prestigious synagogues in the Pacific Northwest. Originally founded as a Reform Synagogue, Temple De Hirsch is renowned for its choir, one of the most famous Jewish choirs in the world. The quality of the synagogue’s music program is due wholly to the efforts of one Samuel Goldfarb, who was the music … [Read more...]
MENORAH & DREIDEL COLLECTIONS
New York City, New York Hanukkah has produced two of the best known iconic symbols in Judaism: the Menorah and the Dreidel. Collectors of menorahs and dreidels can be found throughout the world. Not surprisingly, the best and most famous collection of each can be found in New York City. One, the Safran Dreidel Collection, is the result of the dedication of Rabbi Eliyahu … [Read more...]
WORLD’S OLDEST HANUKKAH MENORAH
Brooklyn, New York The menorah is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, symbol of Judaism and the Jewish people. Menorahs have been around since the time of the Exodus, and were probably used as an Israelite icon long before the Star of David. Essentially a seven-branched candelabrum, a menorah was first mentioned and fully described in chapter five of the Book of Exodus … [Read more...]
WORLD’S LARGEST PERMANENT MENORAH
Manado, Indonesia When one imagines the world’s largest, permanent free-standing Menorah, naturally one thinks of… Indonesia? That’s right. The biggest permanent Menorah in existence is not in Israel, America or Europe; it is, in fact, located in the world’s most populous Muslim country. The city of Manado, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, is home to a number of … [Read more...]
BUDAPEST FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
Budapest, Hungary Of all of the Jewish peoples residing in Europe during the long years of the Diaspora, none have had quite so eventful a history as the Jews of Hungary. Located at the crossroads of many empires, peoples and religions, no other group of Jews suffered as much virtually continuous persecution throughout their history. By the same token, no other group of … [Read more...]
