cantrbantr:

Chanukkah in Israel is so completely different from Chanukkah in America.

I had expected this much going into it. I knew it would be really interesting to celebrate Chanukkah in a world without Christmas, or at least a world without Christmas nearby (I’m pretty sure they celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem). In America, it’s really a forgotten holiday; an afterthought that often feels like it’s just something to make the Jewish kids feel better for not getting to have a christmas tree. I expected all this going in to the holiday week. I even half-expected to see Chanukkah lights decorating the Jerusalem seats.

But the most remarkable Chanukkah experience of the past week happened a few days ago. I was in the supermarket at the end of the day, and as I was about to leave the store when I noticed a store employee standing by one of the check out counters, and he was about to get on the store intercom. Instead of making an announcement to the customers or calling for cleanup on aisle four, he began to sing the Chanukkah blessings on the loudspeaker. A few other store employees then moved to stand with him and sing. Within a few moments, all of the customers have moved to the front of the store to watch them begin to light the Chanukkah candles. Shoppers like me who were on their way out have stopped by the door to watch the ceremony. The clerk then invited certain customers to take part and light individual candles. It felt as if he was close friends with each of the people that he invited up, but I had a feeling he wasn’t. At the same time as my friends and family members are on the other side of the world watching the same Peyton Manning Christmas commercial for the 17th time, I was able to take part in this amazing moment where everyone in this supermarket stood still and stopped what they were doing, to publicly celebrate Chanukkah.

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