Hanukkah is among the most joyous of Jewish holidays however some folks within the Calgary Jewish neighborhood are feeling conflicted about celebrating this yr.
Ortal Luzon and Yossi Gruner are highschool sweethearts who met and had been married in Israel and moved to Calgary 4 years in the past. Luzon was born in Edmonton and moved to Israel on the age of 12.
“My fondest memories of Hanukkah, for me, are togetherness and just stepping into the house and having that smell of all those deep fried meals and having the friends and family together. The sense of happiness and togetherness,” Luzon mentioned.
She recollects conventional meals like jelly donuts, known as sufganiyot, and potato pancakes, known as latkes, that are each are fried, representing the long-lasting oil from the Hanukkah story.

But celebrating this yr is completely different for the Calgary couple.
“This year is tough. It’s a big contrast coming from a dark place that we have been in over the past two months, since Oct. 7,” mentioned Luzon, who graduated from the University of Tel Aviv, learning engineering and pc science and served within the IDF.
“We’re not giving up on our hope for better days so we do insist on coming together and celebrating and bringing the light into our homes and into our community. But I can’t say that it’s easy. It’s been difficult.”

On Friday morning, moments after Gruner was chatting with his aged mother and father who stay south of Tel Aviv in Rishon LeZion, sirens had been triggered by Hamas rockets.
He says it has been a day by day incidence for his mother and father to run to a bomb shelter since Oct. 7.
“I checked in with my dad this morning and I showed him all the snow we have and he was very happy. After we hung up the call, in two seconds, there was an alert to go to the shelter,” Gruner mentioned.
“Every time, they say everything is OK but still, my mom and dad are older so it’s a tough time for me to know that they are there during this time,” Gruner mentioned.

Luzon mentioned many in Calgary’s Jewish neighborhood are apprehensive about displaying Hanukkah symbols this yr.
“Some will display, although they are worried because they don’t want to give into their fear, and some won’t. I think everyone has that fear of displaying Jewish symbols and now with Hanukkah – displaying Hanukkah symbols. It’s sad to know that, but that’s the truth of it,” Luzon mentioned.
Like all younger Israelis, Luzon and Gruner served within the navy. Both have buddies stationed in Gaza. Luzon’s cousin is there now.
“Everyone is scared. It’s not easy. Some days you’re just waiting to get that call that maybe something bad has happened but they don’t give up on the holiday spirit.
“My aunt’s son is out there and they’re worried, and they have sleepless nights, but they won’t give up on bringing in the light and praying and hoping for better,” Luzon mentioned.

While they have fun the vacations in Calgary, their joyous time is tempered by the fear for household in Israel, those that have died and people they are saying are nonetheless held hostage.
Luzon says it’s essential to maintain the candles burning and to search out pleasure in the dead of night instances.
“We need it. We need to feel that sense of we are not losing hope. There is light in the darkness and I think that’s the story of Hanukkah overall.”

The CEO of the Calgary Jewish Federation mentioned in a message to the neighborhood that there are members who would possibly really feel unsafe and select to maintain their candles away from the window, as a substitute of displaying them with satisfaction and that there are various who will really feel conflicted in doing any sort of celebrating whereas brothers and sisters in Israel and world wide are in a lot ache.
“This Chanukah, I would like to encourage our community to gather with family and friends, to light candles, to display them proudly, and to defy the hate that has become all too common. I would also like to encourage all of us to invite friends and allies from outside the Jewish community to share Chanukah with them,” mentioned Adam Silver, CEO of the Calgary Jewish Federation.
Hanukkah celebrations final for eight nights and days and recall the story of how the Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, rebelled to change into an impartial faith.
When the Jews defeated the king who didn’t enable them to observe their faith, they returned and located their temple ransacked with only one jar of oil. But, in line with the Talmud, that oil miraculously burned for eight days, which is why Jews mild eight candles on the Menorah.
This yr Hanukkah began on the night of Dec. 7 and ends on Dec. 15.

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Hanukkah celebrations ‘difficult’ for Calgary Jewish couple worried about loved ones in Israel