By Pat KRAMER

It was standing room only at The Back Door Bakery for the first annual Hanukkah celebration in Sunland-Tujunga, held on Wednesday, Dec. 28.

“I felt there needed to be this kind of an event for people who are unfamiliar with Jewish traditions and celebrations to learn what Hanukkah is all about,” said event organizer Lucy Levinshohn Berman of the Sunland-Tujunga Arts & Recreation Committee of the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council.

Families with children, Jews and non-Jews, came out to partake in this festive event on the fifth night of Hanukkah, a ritual that goes back to ancient times. Also known as the Festival Of Lights, Hanukkah is a joyous holiday that celebrates the victory of a small but mighty band of Jews led by Judah Maccabee, who overthrew the Seleucid (Syrian-Greek) army in the 2nd century BCE to reclaim the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. During that assault, there was only enough oil left to light the Temple’s eternal flame for a single night. Yet, against all odds, that single urn of oil burned for eight days and eight nights, lasting until the battle was won.

The story of Hanukkah was told to the audience by Levinshohn Berman and her sister, Anya Marshall, as Levinshohn Berman lit the menorah’s first five candles, one for every night up to that evening. Afterward, the two were accompanied by DJ Messhuga (Jason Marshall) in singing film actor and singer Adam Sandler’s comedic lyrics of “The Hanukkah Song.”

On hand were plates of traditional Jewish delicacies, including kugel, knishes and latkes – the potato pancakes lightly fried in oil that are most closely associated with this celebration. Children were then invited to line up for a small gift of chocolate Hanukkah gelt, dreidels and toys.

Hanukkah began on Saturday, Dec. 24. On the Hebrew calendar, it is celebrated on the eve of Kislev 25 and continues for eight days. The giving of monetary “gelt” to children on Hanukkah is to encourage them to give the gift of tzedakah, or charity, to those in need.

The Hanukkah event was put on by STNC’s Arts & Recreation Committee (STARC) whose purpose is to nurture and promote artistic endeavors and cultural events within the community to provide a resource for and expand the awareness of the growing diversity of foothill neighborhoods. STARC is chaired by Joe DeCenzo. STARC meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Sunland-Tujunga Chamber of Commerce office at 8250 Foothill Blvd. in Sunland. For more information, visit www.stnc.org or call (818) 951-7411.

  Pat KRAMER