Counting Chanukiot or Hanukkiot

Yesterday, 834 people in a hangar in the Princeton, New Jersey airport 

set the Guiness world record for the most Chanukiot lit at the same time.

I do not know if we could even get that many people 

in Jerusalem, Israel, to agree on anything.

It is even hard to agree on the spelling in English.

Are they Chanukiot or Hannukiot?

This time of year in Jerusalem, Israel,

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 Hanukiot, special Hanukkah menorahs,

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pop up on top of buildings,

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and are displayed in windows

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in all colors and types.

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They are sold at many craft fairs before the holiday 

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and can be found on top of cars during Hanukkah.

We have done whole blogs on Just Chanukiot in the past

and Chanukkah lights.

So what is new and different this year?

I set out yesterday to check the Jerusalem streets, 

but did not get very far before the rain started.

rain in Jerusalem, mud puddles

There are those who count every single millimeter of water, 

 yesterday it came down in buckets.

When it rains in Jerusalem, the sky gets grey and the people go inside.

Israel Museum

At one popular destination is the Israel Museum, the garden was empty,

Israel Museum

as people looked for shelter and families filled the children’s sections,

hand made menorahs

where Hanukiot were made of recycled materials.

But I wanted to find the special Hanukkah exhibit

Israel Museum chanukiah

 on Hanukiot

Israel Museum, exhibit chanukiah

 from around the world:

menorah from Yemen, chaunkiah

simple ones from Yemen

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as well as ornate ones from Europe.

Israel Museum, chaukiah

Families looked at the various small Chanukiot

Israel Museum, chanukkah

and admired the large ones,

large menorah, chanukia

while the weather outside also got plenty of attention.

I really wanted to go across the street to see the new

“Fire” exhibit at the Bloomfield Science Museum

But I was still wet, so I went home to get some hot tea and dry clothes.

Today the sun is shining again, it is a much better day for photos.  

Happy Hanukkah!

December, it’s Hanukkah in Jerusalem

Operation Pillar of Defense is over for most everyone,

wounded soldier

except for the wounded, and of course the families of those who were killed.

Iron Dome

The rockets destroyed by Iron Dome are less of a topic of discussion.

children playing in shelter, Sderot

Children in Southern Israel are no longer in shelters,

but have gone back to school,

Israel soldier

while their big brothers have returned to their regular military service.

Ethiopian children

The children of Kiryat Malachi still have a long, hard road ahead.

But enough of war and politics!  

The calendar has turned to December 

and Hanukkah is almost here!

Machane Yehuda Market strawberries

That means it is strawberry season

oranges

and fresh citrus fruit abounds in the Machane Yehuda Market, the shuk.

dreydels

Piles of dreydels are on display, 

sffganiah, donuts, suffganiot, jelly donuts.

platters of suffganiot, 

chaunkiah, street light menorah

and the streets are illuminated with colorful Chanukiot.

Chanukah bibs

Hanukkah is coming, ready or not.

Lights in the Square

In some Jerusalem neighborhoods, Chanukah is celebrated

  with eight nights of singing and dancing in public areas.

Following two wet and rainy evenings…for the seventh candle,

on Monday night, December 26, 2011,

the weather was perfect in Mamilla Mall.

 Men were dancing to the live music,

but everyone tried to stay clean as they ate the sufganiot.

The official Jerusalem Chanukah celebration

  ‘Or Bekikar’, ‘Light in the Square’ was held in Kikar Safra, Safra Square

 on the seventh night of Chanukah.

The program began with the lighting of the Chanukiah and blessings.

However, this festival of light had little to do with the holiday;

it was a light show with loud music.

 Traditional Chanukah characters were missing.  

Actors from the Mystorin Theatre Group circulated in the crowd,

while illuminated characters entertained from above.

Hundreds of people partied

and posed for pictures 

with the entertainers.

A female singer was the opening act on the large stage and

performers with lit torches juggled them from special small stages.

 Still more characters kept coming.

Electrical wiring strung for the evening almost caused an accident,

but audience members rushed to help and were ready 

 for the next character who was able to avoid a collision.

Lots of color and light filled Safra Square,

and DJs kept the music going during breaks in the live music.

It was especially nice to see that the event was accessible to the disabled.

The night air was getting cooler, so by the time the next performer

and the headline band came on stage,

 the glowing heaters were really appreciated by the crowd.

The audience was a mix of all ages and populations in Jerusalem.

Thousands of people were celebrating in public squares and streets

all around Jerusalem on the seventh night of Chanukah

…that was what was really happening.

More photos:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.297548310287981.68748.152997821409698&type=1