The following article appeared in the Idaho Statesman on December 25, 2005.
Click here to access the article at The Idaho Statesman online.
In the days ahead, you may observe your Jewish neighbor’s front window aglow with flickering flames. You may also notice large menorahs (eight-branched candelabras) standing tall in public thoroughfares – joining tens of thousands of such displays from Bangkok to Boise.
This is all a central part of the observance of Chanukah, a festival dating back some 2,100 years when a small Jewish army triumphed over the powerful and oppressive Assyrians, establishing a celebration of religious freedom for the ages.
Contrary to popular perception, these displays are not for the purpose of securing… Read More »