Did you hear that loud noise yesterday?
No, it was not an explosion or a riot,
but loud sighs of relief that the Hanukkah holiday season is finally over.
Hanukkah may last 8 days with lots of candles in the rest of the world,
but in Jerusalem, Israel, it seems to go on forever.
First there are the trips to school performances for each child,
after which children have over a week of vacation,
while most parents still have to go work.
Then there is the challenge
of eating suffganiot
and keeping your face free of all that powdered sugar or chocolate on top.
It is truly a Hanukkah miracle to see how quickly those suffganiot disappear.
Once again this year, the consumption award goes to Elie Klein,
who ate 125 of these jelly donuts and raised $17,900 for 111 charities.
The open windows that displayed the Hanukkah lights
are now closed to keep out the winter cold.
Eight nights of Hanukkah were enough.
It is winter-time and so cold inside, but look as
flowers are popping up all around this week.
And believe it or not, I already heard people discussing Purim costumes!
Never enough Chanukah or doughnuts, in my opinion! Mazel Tov Elie! Great pictures Sharon. So glad we reconnected.
We can now say that Facebook can sometimes be a great thing!
That stained glass Chanukiyah is beautiful!
Thank you
“A loud sigh of relief that Chanukah is finally over”?!
Shame on you that you consider Chanuka & it’s beautiful traditions a burden.
One would use the above phrase “loud sigh of relief” in reference to air sirens that have ceased, & children don’t have to enter bomb shelters!
Absolutely shocking, beyond belief….
Sorry if this was shocking to you, but for many the Hanukkah season with the children home and full time jobs is exhausting and a complicated time.
Getting back to “normal” and a routine after parties and trips can be a relief.
I just came back from the Israeli border in the South near Gaza, and can tell you for a fact that it was indeed a very different experience from being in the same area when we had to go into bomb shelters during Operation Pillar of Defense.
A lot different, than a simple sigh of relief and “Let’s get a cup of coffee.” Hope you had a very Happy Hanukkah.
Your reply is rather disingenuous. Here in America, in Connecticut, where 20 6 & 7 year old children were massacred; an entire First grade wiped out…..babies…..what their parents would do to have them back…
Their lives will never ever have a sense of normalcy again.
We, as Jews should never consider our children and Chanuka a burden; they are a Bracha.
Yes, we have very different views. Kol Tuv.
Exactly, I was fully aware of the shocking situation in CN and was not going to do this post, but friends here encouraged me to do it.
Thought I would share this with you as I just received this email from the mother of a young Israeli soldier who we visited in Soroka Hospital, who was blinded last month in Operation Pillar of Defense.
“We have a long journey ahead of us, but at least we will be taking the journey together.
S. and I have begun to return to work. It is so much more difficult than I could have ever imagined – everything is now so insignificant.”
From your last comment it’s obvious that we do in fact share the same view & that “sighing a loud relief” is a reaction, that should be utilized only in extreme situations such as not having lost a limb, & of course not for the description of joyous occasions, such as the Jewish Festivals loved by all factions of Judaism from Conservative to Orthodox. I’m very happy to see that Bezrat Hashem you realized your mistake & that you see that of course we should cherish our precious gifts…i.e. our children, our families & the Hannuka Holiday which enables us to leave the world of making a living & starting to live.
I really love your photo with the iron grate in the window. I ate one too many doughnuts, and I don’t even live in Jerusalem. They were just there, sitting on the table …
It’s OK to complain about the ordinary, even when horrible things go on elsewhere. We are all human.
Thanks Leora, part of it could be that in Israel we are constantly under threat, many incidents do not get press. Yes, no question the murders in US were shocking, but the Israeli attitude is to clean up, get up and carry on as best we can.
Kol HaKavod sharon for great pictures, and great sentiments.
We’ll see you after our trip to the 2nd. Lewandowski Music Festival in Berlin. we leave tonite, shifra
Thank you and have a safe trip.
Normalcy is never in bad taste! May we be able to continue to sigh about Sufganiot for many, many years. Lord knows it is a luxury that no one should take lightly. Sharon, you do such a Kiddush Hashem with this blog. May you continue to find the stength to share the real Israel with us for many years. Looking forward to saying hi when we are in Jerusalem. Love, Reva
Reva, thank you so much!
125 suffganiot? Are you kidding?! Instant diabetes.
He said it was his third and last year of suffganiot over consumption.
As a baker’s wife(Herby made about 7,000 donuts/sufganiot during Chanuka), by the time Chanuka got here, I could hardly eat another one! Debbie Dan
Problem is donuts go down so fast, Shabat shalom
I love seeing the jerusalem streets blog.Thank you for sharing the sights of Israel with me.
Thank you Sarah, so glad it is appreciated. There is so much more I want to do it I only had more time! Shabat shalom another week flew by.