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Hanukkah - a Holiday Celebrating Religious Freedom in Atlanta GA Day 3

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty - Love our Great City - Love our Clients! Buckhead - Midtown - Westside

Hanukkah - a Holiday Celebrating Religious Freedom

in Atlanta GA Day 3

Lighting the Candelabra, known as a MENORAH or more specifically as the CHANUKIYA in Hebrew, is a declaration that Jews are free to celebrate their religion. Hanukkah is a Holiday Celebrating Religious Freedom for Jews and for all other Americans to celebrate their beliefs. (Daily video below.)

Although Hanukkah, a Holiday Celebrating Religious Freedom, was observed for centuries in Europe, there wasn't the freedom to be open about Jewish religious observances. For hundreds of years in Europe and elsewhere, Jewish houses of worship, called synagogues, were built behind high walls or behind other buildings for safety.

 

Question for today: Why is the MENORAH displayed in the front window of a home? Very simple answer - to reiterate the freedom illustrated by Hanukkah, a Holiday Celebrating Religious Freedom.

 

 

  outside --------->    MENORAH outside view from our home   and   2013 - our home from the inside - third night    inside - 3rd night    

 

Here in the United States, synagogues have been built out in the open not behind sheltering walls. Observing all holidays, including Hanukkah, a Holiday Celebrating Religious Freedom seemed possible for Jews in the United States. The openly displayed MENORAH proclaims that fact.

 

Across the country, when incidents occured that seemed to negate the idea that it is safe in the USA to be openly Jewish, neighbors joined with the Jews to refute the actions of the vandals acting against the Jews.

 

Showing the true soul of America - that freedom and the acceptance of others is possible here - people in Bismark, ND showed solidarity with their Jewish neighbors whose home was attacked for displaying a MENORAH in their front window.They put a MENORAH in their front windows as well.

 

Yet again, as Jewish homes were vandalized for displaying the MENORAH, neighbors in Bucks County, PA showed solidarity and set a menorah in each of their non-Jewish homes. The same support surfaced in Billings, Montana. None of these neighbors were Jews yet they all stood up for freedom of religion in their own country.

 

For me, as an observant Jew, my freedom to declare my beliefs is a constant reminder of how fortunate I was to be born in the United States. For me, Hanukkah, a Holiday Celebrating Religious Freedom, is an especially important reminder of the privileges of being a US Citizen.  May each of you find freedom to pursue your observances with your own friends and family in your own way!

 

Tomorrow, on the fourth day of Hanukkah, we will get to the really fun part - FOOD!  Do you know what these are? Better still - have you tasted then? Recipes and more tomorrow!

 

 LATKES - Recipes and more photos tomorrow!

Have a happy day,
Lynn

 

OUR DAILY VIDEO!   Matisyahu singing "One Day"

 

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Day One   Day Two   Day Three   Day Four   Day Five   Day Six   Day Seven   Day Eight
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Comments (2)

Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Lynn, What a lovely way to share Chanukah celebrating freedom. The latkes look delicious and I know you will enjoy them. On Thursday, our greeting was Gobble Tov!

Nov 30, 2013 06:38 AM
Lynn B. Friedman CRS Atlanta, GA 404-617-6375
Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty - Love our Great City - Love our Clients! Buckhead - Midtown - Westside - Atlanta, GA
Concierge Service for Our Atlanta Sellers & Buyers

Dear Margaret -
Thanks for visiting my post.
Yes, this year I am doing one post for each of the eight days!
Hope your family is enjoying Channukah.
Have a happy day -
Lynn

Nov 30, 2013 10:16 AM