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Living my whole life in America, Hanukkah has always been affected by Christmas. On the one hand, it is constantly overshadowed; on the other hand many Jews try to elevate it to a major holiday, which I know it is not. With the current wave of "Happy Holidays" and dreidel decorations put up next to candy-canes I feel like society is telling me that Hanukkah is supposed to be my major holiday. So many Jews go along with this and try to make it Jewish Christmas which is ironic.
Others, like Isaac Bashevis Singer in his book, "The Power of Light" tell sentimental tales of Hanukkah in snow-covered shtetls in Poland or Russia. While that can be nice, I know that is also NOT native to Hanukkah.
I know that Hanukkah deserves to have its own identity, but I've never experienced it that way. What is Hanukkah like in its more natural environment: Israel, or even in Muslim countries where Christmas isn't a major holiday.
Is Hanukkah a school vacation in Israel? Do people have big parties, similar to America, or even similar to Purim parties? Or do most Israelis just light the Menorah for 2 minutes and then go on like no big deal? Do most secular Israelis observe it in any way or do they just ignore it? Do kids get presents? Gelt? And has Hanukkah recently been affected by change in Israel or Muslim countries because of the previously mentioned commercialization of the holiday.
Hanukkah is a extremely minor holiday in Israel, that it is barely noticeable outside of seeing Menorahs and eating festive related donuts. Travel websites make it sound extremely more extravagant when the reality is the opposite. Has it picked up some US Christmas nuances? Sure. But absolutely nothing even close like the way Christmas is celebrated in the US.
Hanukkah is a extremely minor holiday in Israel, that it is barely noticeable outside of seeing Menorahs and eating festive related donuts. Travel websites make it sound extremely more extravagant when the reality is the opposite. Has it picked up some US Christmas nuances? Sure. But absolutely nothing even close like the way Christmas is celebrated in the US.
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