The first menorah is inscribed on a sarcophagus at Hierapolis (Pammukale) in present-day Turkey. According to this site, Hierapolis was believed to have been founded by Apollo. It was the site of sacred hot springs, whose gases were associated with Pluto, god of the underworld. The city had a significant Jewish community and was mentioned by Paul in Colossians.I've mentioned before that I am a bit nonplussed by the lack of diversity at seminary. Don't get me wrong -- it's an outstanding school -- but I do often find myself longing for the variety of a university community. (After I made that comment one day, I was asked whether I didn't find the multiplicity of Protestant dominations represented there heterogeneous enough. Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, UCC-ers, Episcopalians. Well, in a word, No. That wasn't what I meant at all.)
It's the middle of Chanukah and I didn't even realize that until last night. Not a sign of Chanukah on the few acres on which I make my temporary home, or in the neighborhood in which we are located. That's just bizarre to me.
So I'm celebrating on my blog. Happy Chanukah!
5 comments:
Here's a Chanukah song I learned as a child from a classmate. I'll sing it for you...
*ahhhheeemmmm*
Oh Chanukah, Oh Chanukah come light the menorah
We'll have a party, we'll all dance the hora.
Gather round the table we'll give you a treat.
Shining tops to play with and pancakes to eat.
And while we are playing, the candles are burning low.
One for each night, they shine a sweet light
to remind us of days long ago-oh-oh-oh....
One for each night, they shine a sweet light
to remind us of days long ago.
The only one I kind of knew started, "dreidl, Dreidl, Dreidl"...(and I'm actually not sure how it was spelled) we sang it for the christmas/Chanukah pageant at my grade school
my daughter's fiance, Ryan, is Jewish. He is stationed in Afghanistan with the army. The military actually sent Ryan and a buddy to another base in Afghanistan to celebrate Hannukah because their base wasn't planning any celebration. (I guess because they only have two Jewish guys and no Jewish chaplains?)...anyone, Ryan was thrilled to be someplace else and able to celebrate this holiday. Oh, and did I mention he is also Korean...yeah, a South Korean Jew.
I wonder what we will do when Ryan is home, and they are married. I expect we will find a way to celebrate with him.
So. I think I have an idea of what you mean by diversity...
Happy Chaukah!
First, thanks GG, for the Chanukah wish. Second, Mompriest, I can only picture the good fortune your family will have in the future with a Jewish Korean soldier son-in-law named Ryan--talk about the melting pot of the world! My hunch is that you'll figure out just how to celebrate and incorporate the various cultures and faiths at play here in a way that will be meaningful to all involved. By the way, Chanukah is a minor holiday that has gained significance in his prominence due only to its proximity to Christmas on the calendar.
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