That Time When I Celebrated Hanukkah

The Kindling of Hanukkah Menorah

Do you know that in orthodox Jewish tradition they're not allowed to eat pork?

 It was December 27th, 2016 and I was recuperating from my Christmas hangover.  We didn't really have any plans sorted out other than going on a road trip to San Francisco a few days later, and as usual Palmer just plainly, spontaneously blurted out his plans, a few minutes before it.  "We're gonna go to Zach's place.  He's celebrating Hanukkah and he invited us".

My eyes opened wide.  It’s been my dream to see a Jewish celebration!

So we drove to Zach’s apartment.  His mom, Michelle was there along with his roommates and friends.  I was a little bit nervous.  Any specific prayer I should know of? What kind of rituals are we going to do? Do they think I’m weird?

I went straight to the kitchen.  Carina, Zach’s significant other was cooking Matzah ball soup with his mom.  Mmmm, smells like dill and mirepoix, I thought.  In a big pot that soup was simmering, and the matzah balls were bubbling in it.

“So…….do you use beef bones to make this broth?” I asked.

“Oh, no, no.  That’s not kosher.  We only eat kosher food for Hannukkah.”

Goddammit, Sinta.  Get your Jewish knowledge right.  Don’t be a know-it-all piece of sh….

So then I managed to get as much information as I could.  Michelle was really helpful with my zero understanding of Jewish tradition.  Hanukkah is a festival of lights and lasts for eight days.  According to the Jewish calendar, the festival is usually celebrated in December.  It is a celebration of the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which was occupied by the Greek-Syrian people in the second century.

The most important ritual in Hanukkah is the kindling of the nine lights, more commonly known as Hanukkah menorah.  Somebody will do a prayer while lighting the light one by one; representing each day of celebration plus shamash, the ninth candle.

Now the most interesting part in Hanukkah is that there are some rules of what to eat during this celebration.  For example, we have to eat fried food (because the miracle of Hanukkah has something to do with oil) – on that day I ate latke, some kind of fried potato pancakes.  It was savory and filling.  There was also challah , the traditional Jewish bread.  Then there’s this traditional Jewish main dish called matzah ball soup. The balls are made of unleavened bread (bread that is made without raising agents).  They have soft texture and taste very light.  Combined with the broth, it is a great main course.

The rest of the celebration was nothing but a feast.  I kept thinking that Jewish food is great.  Seriously.  I was too busy eating that I forgot that I wasn’t there only to eat; but also to mingle.  Luckily Zach’s friends are mostly free-spirit artists so they tend to be very open-minded.  I had a good chat with some people and they would be confused whenever I said that I’m from Indonesia.  Haha.

***

I know that some people in Indonesia still frown whenever they hear the word J-E-W.  And I know that politically it’s a complicated matter and I don't have anything to say about that.  But I’m not interested in that.  I’m interested in getting to know something that I don’t know rather than making prejudice based on assumptions.

I want my matzah ball soup again!