Synopses & Reviews
"What a holiday! No pestilence, no slavery, no locusts, no cattle disease or atonement. No synagogue, no guilt, no mortar, and no real lesson to be absorbed and passed down to my Jewish offspring. Thank God," writes Joshua Braff, one of eighteen Jewish writers who extol, excoriate, and expand our understanding of this most merry of Jewish holidays.
These essays, by Adam Langer, Tova Mirvis, Steve Almond, Eric Orner, and others, range from the comedic to the snarky, the poignant to the poetic, and includes such topics as the jealousy experienced in December when the rest of America is celebrating Christmas (we never get to join in the reindeer games!); the problem parents have dampening their children's desire for more presents (call it Greedikah!); and the weight gain associated with eating 432 latkes in eight nights (dayenu, enough!).
Whether your Chanukahs were spent singing "I have a Little Dreidel" or playing the "Maoz Tzur" on the piano, whether your family tradition included a Christmas tree or a Chanukah bush, whether the fights among your siblings over who would light the menorah candles rivaled the battles of the Maccabees, or even if you haven't a clue who the Maccabees were, this little book proves there are as many ways to celebrate Chanukah as there are ways to spell it.
Synopsis
Ring in the Holiday That Has a Special Place in Jewish Hearts...and Stomachs
Profound Questions! "Chanukah unearths a debate that's been going on for centuries. Yes, I'm talking about potato latkes: grated or mashed?" —Amy Klein
Telling Confessions! "Perhaps here is where I should mention that my 100 percent Jewish father was—and remains—obsessed with Christmas." —Jennifer Gilmore
Unlikely Revelations! "Shocker of all shockers, the first Jewish governor in the United States was elected in...Idaho! Swear." —Jill Kargman
Tender Recollections! "You are reminded of your real gifts: a family who you get to come home to." —Laura Dave
Synopsis
What a holiday. No pestilence, no slavery, no locusts, no cattle disease or atonement. synagogue, no guilt, no mortar, and no real lesson to be absorbed and passed down to my Jewish offspring. "Thank God," writes Joshua Braff, one of eighteen Jewish writers— Adam Langer, Tova Mirvis, Steve Almond, Peter Orner, and others—who extol, excoriate, and expand our understanding of this most merry of Jewish holidays and offer up nervy, irreverent, and, yes, even nostalgic takes on a holiday that has a special place in Jewish hearts . . . and stomachs.
There are profound questions: "Chanukah unearths a debate that's been going on for centuries. Yes, I'm talking about potato latkes: grated or mashed?" (Amy Klein). There are confessions: “Perhaps here is where I should mention that my 100 percent Jewish father was—and remains—obsessed with Christmas” (Jennifer Gilmore); revelations: "Shocker of all shockers, the first Jewish governor in the United States was elected in . . . Idaho! Swear" (Jill Kkargman); and tender recollections: "You are reminded of your real gifts: a family who you get to come home to" (Laura Dave). And there's even a comic strip by Eric Orner, the mastermind behind Ethan Green.
From the hilarious to the snarky, the poignant to the poetic, this collection proves there are as many ways to spell Chanukah as there are ways to celebrate it.
About the Author
Emily Franklin is the author of The Girls' Almanac and Liner Notes and numerous novels for young adults. She has edited three previous anthologies, including It's a Wonderful Lie: 26 Truths About Life in Your Twenties.
Table of Contents
Contents Introduction: HanuChannuk Chanukah by Emily Franklin xi
The Blue Team by Joshua Braff 1
Creature Comfies by Joshua Neuman 7
Week at a Glance by Elisa Albert 21
Chanukah Your Hearts Out! by Steven Almond 39
The Guinea Pig by Jennifer Gilmore 43
The Only Dreidel in Idaho by Jill Kargman 61
Rock of Ages by Jonathan Tropper 77
Traditions Break by Eric Orner 95
Oak Street, 1981 by Peter Orner 119
Dolls of the World by Joanna Smith Rakoff 123
Chanukah Glutton by Tova Mirvis 151
My Peaceful and Glorious Brothers by Edward Schwarzschild 161
Oh, Lord. Oh, Lourdes. Alors! by Mameve Medwed 175
My Father's Menorah by Adam Langer 187
An Israeli Chanukah by Amy Klein 203
Presents! by Ben Schrank 215
The Light, the Sword, and the Nintendo DS by Karen E. Bender and Robert Athony Siegel 223
Eight Nights by Laura Dave 237