Chanukah

One for each night,

they will shed a sweet light,
to remind us of days long ago.
_Chanukah, Oh Chanukah

Today I called my sister in California to ask her if I could contribute a blog on Chanukah. It's funny, because as children we were both raised Catholic but now we are both moms and our husbands come from very different cultural backgrounds, so our children are growing up with different traditions. My husband's grandfather was Jewish and came to Ellis Island from Russia. Although my father in-law is Jewish, my husband was not raised in the traditions and did not attend Temple.

Last year we decided to learn and teach our 3 year old son, Donovan about the meaning of Chanukah. We have an heirloom menorah which came from my father in-law's family. It is very beautiful and special. Since I did not have a clue about what to cook and how the menorah should be lit each night, I went to the library in search of a book that could help me.

There are many books about Chanukah at the library (even in the South!) but I came across one that is perfect for parents who would like to teach their children. It is a book for families to share, filled with wonderful stories and amazing recipes, called "One For Each Night" Chanukah Tales and Recipes, by Marilyn Kallet, with beautiful translucent color illustrations by Heather Seratt.
This book came to be when the author, Marilyn Kallet wanted to celebrate the 8 nights of Chanukah with her daughter and husband, but had no money to buy gifts. So, using her talents as an English major, she decided to create homemade presents and write a new story for each night. The stories were about food and she would cook up tasty dishes to accompany the tales. This wonderful book is made of 8 of her original tales and the recipes were passed down from her mother in-law. You can find this book online at http://www.celticcatpublishing.com/
Chanukah is only a few days away.........December 5th at sundown. This year we have a new baby daughter to celebrate with us. I can't wait!