[we light these lights for the miracles and the wonders]
They'd started early. Not the crack of dawn, but anyone who wanted to get breakfast on Hannukah Eve Day would have been bombarded by the scent of mandelbread, latkes, sufganiyot, borscht, sweet and savory kugels and matzah ball soup. Between Bridge, Chuck, Ned, Delirium, Nancy, Tosh and Olive (making her own Hanukkah cookies) the kitchen was a buzz, crowded and hot. The cooking crew was almost entirely shiksas, but Chuck was more than happy to explain the well-known and lesser-known facts and traditions of Hanukkah with cheerful excitement. Bridge contributed when he could, and sang when industrious silence descended (which there wasn't much of), but he was often times distracted by the feeling of cooking with bare hands.
It was almost sunset by the time they were finished and everything was laid out in the kitchen. Bridge gathered everyone he could find (including people in the hallway) together in the rec room, around the menorah John Amsterdam had been kind enough to make. A vast collection of yarmulkes had been gathered from the clothes box for everyone to wear. (Bridge particularly liked the one he had found.) The candles were lit as they said the blessings.
Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav vetzivanu l'hadlik ner hanuka.
Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, she‑asa nisim la‑avoteinu ba‑yamim ha‑heim ba‑z'man ha‑ze.
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, she‑hehiyanu v'kiy'manu v'higi'anu la‑z'man ha‑ze.
They sang a few hymns, simple ones so even those who didn't know what the Hebrew language sounded like before tonight could play along. And then it was time for food and fun. John Amesterdam had also made enough dreidels to go around, and Bridge and Chuck explained the general rules for playing, even though they had no gelt. Candied fruits had to substitute, which thankfully had been made before the weather changed for the frigid. The jukebox even got into the spirit, playing Hanukkah songs quietly in the background, or louder should anyone chose to sing along.
[Open to one and all, Jew and gentile. If I made any mistakes anywhere in this post, or left anyone out who helped out, let me know. Gathering post, so tag each other and have fun!]
It was almost sunset by the time they were finished and everything was laid out in the kitchen. Bridge gathered everyone he could find (including people in the hallway) together in the rec room, around the menorah John Amsterdam had been kind enough to make. A vast collection of yarmulkes had been gathered from the clothes box for everyone to wear. (Bridge particularly liked the one he had found.) The candles were lit as they said the blessings.
Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav vetzivanu l'hadlik ner hanuka.
Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, she‑asa nisim la‑avoteinu ba‑yamim ha‑heim ba‑z'man ha‑ze.
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam, she‑hehiyanu v'kiy'manu v'higi'anu la‑z'man ha‑ze.
They sang a few hymns, simple ones so even those who didn't know what the Hebrew language sounded like before tonight could play along. And then it was time for food and fun. John Amesterdam had also made enough dreidels to go around, and Bridge and Chuck explained the general rules for playing, even though they had no gelt. Candied fruits had to substitute, which thankfully had been made before the weather changed for the frigid. The jukebox even got into the spirit, playing Hanukkah songs quietly in the background, or louder should anyone chose to sing along.
[Open to one and all, Jew and gentile. If I made any mistakes anywhere in this post, or left anyone out who helped out, let me know. Gathering post, so tag each other and have fun!]