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Harvey Tannenbaum a resident of Efrat, is the owner of , a full service concierge business for tourists and travelers in Israel. Tannenbaum immigrated to Israel from Los Angeles in 1994. He can be reached at
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By Harvey Tannenbaum
December 26, 2005
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| Chanukiah of Light, Jerusalem |
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The 2nd night of Chanukah in uptown Jerusalem had been anticipated for days and weeks.
The sights and sounds of Jerusalem during Chanukah are unparalleled in the world of Chanukah celebrations. Aside from the problems and issues of a government without leaders and missiles falling without a response, one knows that there is a difference in the wonders and beauty of living in Israel.
The 2nd night of Chanukah brings Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem basketball teams together in Malcha's 2500 seat arena. Although it is not the Madison Square Garden or the Staples Center, these two teams await the big game on the 2nd night of Chanukah. Maccabi Tel Aviv has won a Euroleague or two while the Hapoel Jerusalem basketball team struggles for its recognition in the Israeli National League.
The teams are comprised of former American athletes and current Israeli wannabe superstars of basketball. The newscasters spent one hour on pre-game shows and discussions and hype. The 7:45pm start time was already one hour since the opening warmup practice. Our oil-filled Chanukiya was still burning into its 2nd hour on this 2nd night of Chanukah.
The TV was unlocked and the children were playing the dreidel, munching their sufganiot, and dipping the home made latkes in the US imported apple sauce. We sat and imagined why we are here in Israel and not there in the Diaspora. We can summarize how we know that Chanukah in Israel reflects home is here and not there.
1. The 'boos' for Will Solomon, a former Hapoel Jerusalem basketball player increased in its volume as he was introduced on the court. The Jerusalem crowd could not forgive his move to Maccabi Tel Aviv.
2. Doron Sheffer, a former top Israeli basketball and American university star, was given the honor to light the chanukiya at the outset of the game. Malcha's Chabad Rabbi handed Doron the shamash candle to light the two candles in the middle of the basketball court. As Doron lit the candles, the arena occupants stood and began to answer AMEN to each bracha. Suddenly the crowd burst into "Maoz Zur" as the announcer who had just introduced each player on both teams began to sing along on live national TV.
3. The transformation from "Maoz Zur" to the Hatikva as we watched required the use of the windshield-wiping sunglasses at night once again. The teams stood in silence and sang as the 2500+ members of the audience and coaches and referees sang together.
4. Traffic at 5pm was gridlocked everywhere in town. The banks and post office and office buildings were all closed at 5pm as each night of Chanukah at 5pm, the citizens -- secular and religious -- rushed home to light their candles of the menorah.
5. The TV screen is viewed back and forth with the teams crossing the basketball court while the menorah is still burning with the candles along the sidelines near the home team of Hapoel Jerusalem.
7. The supermarket and pharmacy and hardware store owners are closing their businesses at 5 pm instead of 7 pm each night of Chanukah.
8. The hotel lobbies are filled with tourists who are lighting the Menoras in the foyer and full view of the street to fulfill the commandment of pirsumei denisa (publicly enlarging the mitzvah for all to see)
9. The taxi drivers have stopped at their station in Rechavia as their dispatcher stops dispatching and is lighting the 'station' chanukiya.
10. The soldiers are checking all the potential troublemakers at the checkpoints as the passersby hand them sufganiyot by the dozens.
11. The shopping malls are without the xmas trees of the Diaspora and kids' programs and chanuka lighting ceremonies are filling up the malls by the hour in Israel.
12. The walk through the streets of Israel is a required tourist attraction as one can see the menora in the windows in pride and light for all.
13. The restaurants that are open have their chanukiyot lit in their windows near the menu display, whether a mehadrin or rabbanut kosherized premise.
14. A fruit stand on Azza (Gaza) Street in Rechavia is still open and the owner's chanukiya is lit as he continues to sell bags of potatoes for the latke makers.
15. The Egged Bus station has hundreds of shoppers and people waiting for the bus to and from cities in Israel. Each store has its chanukiya lit with candles.
16. The bus driver to Tel Aviv stops to light his chanukiya for a few minutes of song and blessings before getting back into the 405 bus to drive to Tel Aviv. He too wanted that 5pm lighting time
Yes, the two basketball teams are now in the first quarter of this exciting game... but now the boos of both sides of the arena have slowed down as the giant chanukiya/menora continues to glow with the candles of a basketball game on live national TV on this 2nd night of Chanukah.
Time to Come Home to Light Your Chanukah Candles in Israel!
[Editor's note: As in days of old, the Maccabis were victorious Maccabi Tel Aviv, as expected, beat Hapoel Jerusalem, 100-96. Maybe next year.]
Views expressed by the author do not
necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
 
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