DeKalb Jewish community prepares to mark Hanukkah in time of war

DeKALB – Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday that begins at sundown Thursday, will bring special meaning to many who mark it this year amid continued war in the Middle East, area residents said.

Some who gathered at DeKalb’s Congregation Beth Shalom synagogue this week said the annual eight-day celebration – which highlights themes of finding light in the darkness – won’t feel the same as years past two months in to the war between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East.

Daily life for many Jews has been upended by the surprise attack on Oct. 7 in Israel, when Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. More than 15,000 Palestinians also have died in the ensuing war, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.

Sycamore resident Crystal Hill said recent current events have influenced how she will celebrate Hanukkah this year.

“I’ve been doing a lot of reading about what’s going on in Israel right now,” Hill said. “I think it’s played a part in the overall theme of Jewish hope. I’m trying to spread light to everybody. Of course, this is my view. … But I’m hoping for a peaceful resolution to everything there.”

Hanukkah runs through Dec. 15 and marks the rededication of what is known by Jews as the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in the Second Century BC, after a small group of Jewish fighters liberated it from foreign forces. Hanukkah – also spelled Chanukah or other transliterations from Hebrew – is Judaism’s “festival of lights.” On eight consecutive nightfalls, Jews gather with family and friends to light one additional candle in the menorah – a multibranched candelabra.

“It is in a lot of ways a grim time for Jews. Oct. 7 isn’t that far. There are congregation members here who have relatives [and] friends in Israel. So, lighting a candle against the darkness now seems especially meaningful.”

—  Robert Feldacker

Congregation Beth Shalom, 820 Russell Road, intends to hold Zoom candle-lightings all week long. In addition, the DeKalb synagogue plans to host a Hanukkah Party.

Robert Feldacker, president at Congregation Beth Shalom, said observing Hanukkah also will be different for him this year.

He said traditionally he enjoys lighting the candles, preparing and eating latkes, the gift exchange and retelling the stories of the Jewish holiday.

“It is in a lot of ways a grim time for Jews,” Feldacker said. “Oct. 7 isn’t that far. There are congregation members here who have relatives [and] friends in Israel. So, lighting a candle against the darkness now seems especially meaningful. The war continues over there. It’s always terrible to have Israel associated with hideous massacres and bombing. To me, lighting a candle for peace seems hopeful. It’s important to hope for peace.”

Congregation Beth Shalom has about 30 to 35 active member families.

Feldacker said the synagogue’s membership has evolved over the years. He’s been part of the DeKalb community since 2003.

“We have some people who come from pretty much all over DeKalb County,” he said. “We’re about the only congregation in DeKalb County. We are it.”

DeKalb resident Laurie Rodriguez said for her a traditional Hanukkah requires song.

“One of the things that makes it really feel like it’s Hanukkah is the music,” Rodriguez said. “There’s lots of Hanukkah songs we’re going to be singing. Our choir is going to be singing lots of songs at the Hannukah Party and that’ll be fun.”

Hill said she believes that there is no right way to observe Hannukah. For her, she said, it took some time and practice to learn what it is and how it works.

“The first year was a lot of learning and observing, lot of taking part but a lot more focus was ‘OK, so what’s everybody doing, how does this work,’” Hill said. “Last year, I was little bit more comfortable, still I’ve [got a] feel of the finer points. This year, I feel, for lack of a better term, I feel secure enough in my Jewish identity to actually be like ‘OK, this is how we’re doing it.’”

Feldacker echoed that sentiment.

“Rabbis will describe Jews as the people of Israel,” Feldacker said. “It literally means ‘They who struggle with God.’ So, Judaism is a unified religion of many millions of people each trying to come to their own best way. I talked about the ways of traditional Hanukkah that I like. But there’s no one right way. There really isn’t.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.