AUBURN — Temple Shalom on Broadman Street celebrated the first night of Hanukkah with a  party complete with menorahs, dreidels and a seemingly never-ending supply of latkes.

The celebration began with the “lighting” of a large outdoor menorah by Police Chief Phillip Crowell. While last year a torch was used to light the menorah, this year, LED lights were used in place of real flames.

The party was organized by Rabbi Sruli Dresdner and his wife, Lisa. The temple’s website describes Dresdner as scholarly and musically gifted with a kind heart and “passionate Jewish spirit.”

This was my first time in a Jewish temple or even being in a group of people celebrating Hanukkah, and it was enlightening. Every single person I met was warm and welcoming, greeting me with a smile and a firm handshake and I immediately felt at ease. 

David Allen, vice president of Temple Shalom’s board of directors, was incredibly kind and allowed me to really get the full experience of the celebration. I sat with him and his family, who told me I couldn’t leave until I’d eaten. Well, if you’re gonna twist my arm…

Allen said that he feels lucky to be part of such a welcoming and kind congregation.

“It’s just like anything else,” he said. “Sometimes groups are welcoming and sometimes they aren’t.” 

The whole party was a treat. After the menorah lighting, the students of the temple’s Hebrew school put on a play, titled “Udderly Ridiculous: a Hanukkah comedy.” It was maybe the most charming thing I’ve ever watched. The play, set in the fictional town of Chelm, told the tale of a married couple looking for goat milk to make latkes. The husband set out to buy a goat, but through different silly shenanigans, kept losing the goat and getting into trouble. Eventually, the wise rabbi intervened and told him to “just shop at Hannaford like everyone else.” The performance had the whole audience smiling and laughing.

There was traditional singing. I also learned about the history of Hanukkah and what it means. 

Leslie Weiner, president of the board, gave a lesson in “layman’s terms” as follows: Hanukkah is the commemoration of freedom from the Syrians and Greeks. The Maccabees led the rebellion after their temple was desecrated. They went into hiding and went to light the Eternal Light, but there was only enough oil to last one day. Miraculously, it lasted eight days, which is why there are eight days of Hanukkah.

The holiday always begins at sundown with the lighting of the menorah.

Weiner added that to celebrate, they eat food cooked in oil — traditionally latkes, which are fried potato pancakes; and sufganiyot, fried jelly-filled doughnuts.

She then explained that people used to give money as a gift, but now they use chocolate coins, which are called gelt.

Weiner said that during Hanukkah, one additional candle is lit each night, right to left, using the middle candle to light all of the other ones. Work is forbidden during the 30 minutes that candles are lit.

I also learned what the dreidel is all about. According to Weiner, it’s a four-sided spinning top — each side has a different Hebrew letter, and together it means “a great miracle happened here.” It came about when Jews were not allowed to practice or study. If authorities would question what they were doing while they were doing one of these forbidden activities, they used the dreidel as a diversion, pretending they were simply playing a game in order to avert suspicion. Weiner said people still play it and that it’s similar to poker, normally played with peanuts and pennies.

According to Suzanne, it isn’t unusual to celebrate Hanukkah as a group, but generally people celebrate at home. Although Hanukkah is considered one of the minor holidays, it is still an enjoyable time and cause for celebration.

“We’re celebrating the first time a religious minority fought for their right and won,” Suzanne added.

After the lighting of the menorah and the play, everyone sat down and enjoyed dinner until the rabbi and his wife started playing Klezmer music and started a dance.