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!

7 thoughts on “Counting Chanukiot or Hanukkiot

  • December 12, 2012 at 5:53 pm
    Permalink

    Upon my arrival in Israel more than forty years ago, I too subscribed to the “Jerusalem mantra,” whereby Jerusalem was “the-eternal-undivided-capital-of-Israel-that-would-never-be-redivided” (one word, and a noun). It was consensus, the impermeable devotion to an article of faith. The harsh realities in the ensuing years undermined that faith, and finally, in the summer of 2000, during President Clinton’s Camp David summit, it collapsed. It then became apparent, and has remained so, that the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians will end within the borders of a politically divided city. Jerusalem was deflowered at Camp David.

    Reply
  • December 12, 2012 at 7:39 pm
    Permalink

    I guess there’s no correct way to spell it, just like there’s no one correct hanukiyah!

    Reply
    • December 13, 2012 at 10:28 am
      Permalink

      Some things are easier in Hebrew, חנוכה or חנכה oh dear two spellings there too… have a happy one.

      Reply
      • December 13, 2012 at 7:26 pm
        Permalink

        Yes, I was thinking of that, also! Thanks for all your beautiful reporting and Hag Urim Sameach!

        Reply
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