The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle from Milwaukee, Wisconsin • Page 30

WJC December 10, 1982 Section II Page 6 rishtlv bormiBinis caimdSes and other memories of Chanukah in the Old World if A ii i V- am- i i imi ii By Caroline Sheffey of the Chronicle staff Chanukah nowadays, for many people, it means shopping and presents and wrapping paper, rituals more akin to this particular season of the year than to the origin of the holiday itself. But for many others, often the elderly in our community, Chanukah evokes different images and memories, candles burning brightly, special meals lovingly prepared, homemade wooden dreidels spinning and, above all, the story itself, the miracle of freedom and triumph over adversity and the reaffirmation of our Jewishness. Rebbetzin Leah Twerski lived in Bobowa as a child, at that time part of Austria under Kaiser Franz Josef, later part of Poland. She recalled "Chanukah was a great Yom Tov. I think it was so beautiful because we believed in the miracle 100 per cent.

We were completely convinced. Without believing in it, it would have been as though we didn't even believe that Hashem spoke to Abraham long before that." The Rebbetzin's father, Rabbi BenZion Halberstam, of blessed memory, drew people from neighboring towns every night to hear the Chanukah blessings. Children were off from school in the afternoons and they prepared their own Chanukah lights (pieces of cotton that were rolled and put into oil) and played with dreidls and dominoes, using hazelnuts with them. The Rebbetzin's family had latkes during Chanukah, and at every meal they said the special portion in the "Benching" (Grace after Meals) that refers to the Chanukah story. Her father gave Chanukah gelt to the children and they were taught to save it and later give it away for good causes: "We didn't have to give Chanukah gifts.

Every day was a gift." From Russia to Milwaukee In Milwaukee, Chanukah was important also for Al Willis, who came here in 1909 from Russia, at the age mmrj imi Irene Goodman of six; "Each night when we lit the candles, each of us three children were given a penny. We were told by our parent to give the money to tzedakah which we usually did, but, sometimes we would keep it for ourselves, to buy candy." The anticipation before the holiday, and the fun of preparing for it, still remain vivid in Willis's mind when he recalls the latkes and the story of Chanukah as his parents told it to him. Irene Goodman's memories of cms veair Phil Rubinstein Chanukah, like Rebbetzin Twer-ski's and Al Willis's, are happy, yet clouded by memories of fear. Born in a small town in Hungary, her family had to celebrate Chanukah behind closed curtains. Despite Emperor Franz Josefs assurances of a home for the Jews as long as he was in power, Mrs.

Goodman said that he could not have been aware of the anti-Semitism in some of the smaller villages. Mrs. Goodman's family made everything for the holiday themselves including the menorah and dreidls made of wood, and the hand-crocheted gifts. Each night her father lit the 1 Molly Weiner candles and told the story of Chanukah; and the family had a special meal of honey and sponge cakes, pancakes from homegrown potatoes and lamb. They were always sure to invite poor people to share their Chanukah meal.

For Mrs. Goodman the holidays were something to be looked forward to, "pleasures" as she called them. Chanukah gelt Before Phil Rubenstein left the Ukraine at the age of five, he remembers the coins the children received on Chanukah in little bags. So, when he had his own children he gave them Chanukah gelt also. Once the family arrived in Milwaukee, Rubenstein remembers lighting the Chanukah candles and playing with dreidls: "It was a family holiday; we stood around together and watched the candles and ate the potato latkes my mother made." en Rebbetzin Leah Twerski As Rubenstein talked about Chanukah, he remembered something from his early childhood he had forgotten earlier: "The Chanukah lights were very important to us then.

The house was rather dark, not full of electric lights as our houses are today, the flickering of those little candles and the light they created was very impressive to us." Benching, singing Eighty years ago it was highly unusual for a young Jewish girl in Russia to receive a formal Hebrew and secular education, but Molly Weiner, now a great-grandmother, was determined to learn, and convinced her parents Al Willis to allow her to. As a result, many of her remembrances of Chanukah stem from the religious observance that makes up an integral part of the holiday. She said: "When we were children my father 'benched' Chanukah licht. Then we sang "Ha Neros Ha Leila" and "Maos Tsur." After supper, when we said the Grace after Meals, we added the "Al haNissim" (portion of Chanukah) and then, until the candles burned out, we didn't do any work." Mrs. Weiner remembers the "davening" and.

learning the story of Chanukah and also the dreidls, the Chanukah gelt, the latkes, and her mother's special tradition of making a goose each year. Interwoven throughout all these people's remembrances of Chanukah many years ago is a special lesson for now: The importance of our Jewish history and tradition. E7L i 4 i 1 1 J' a mm, is AO A phone call. What a marvelous way to say uHappy Chanukah." And it costs surprisingly little, especially when you consider the cost of cards and postage. Long distance rates are 35 below weekday rates for in-state calls, and 40 for out-of-state calls when you call after 5 p.m.

on weekdays and dial direct without operator assistance. And you can save 60 when you call between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. on weekdays or from 11 p.m. Friday 'til 5 p.m.

on Sunday. So this year send a Chanukah call to a loved one. You'll both be pleasantly surprised. Wisconsin Telephone A Happy Chanukah i i i I i i To All Our Friends Ruth and Joe Miller 4010 North Oakland Monday Thursday 9-6 Friday 9-8 Saturday 962-3289 962-5030.