Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Outside of Town Hall last night, the Chabad Jewish Center lit their crowd-sourced menorah
This holiday season is lighting up Needham Town Hall. In October, the Chabad Jewish Center partnered with Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) to host a Menorah design contest. Contestants built a virtual Menorah using PTC's Creo product design software and submitted it for judgement. The Center chose one menorah to be made and lit on the Town Common next week, during the Jewish holiday of hanukkah. The winner, Levi Krinsky, 12, chose the prize of $500 cash (and declined an iPad). "The shape of the menorah actually ties into the message of the light of the menorah: that the light of the menorah of the Temple of Old, and the light of our hanukkah menorah is about spreading light into the street, and into the dark places of the world." …
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Even if you’re not lighting a menorah this season, here’s five things you might not have known about Hanukkah.
Hanukkah, the Jewish “festival of lights,” begins at sunset on Saturday, Dec. 8, and ends at sunset on Sunday, Dec. 16. When many people think of Hanukkah—sometimes spelled “Chanukah” because of its pronunciation in Hebrew—they think of dreidels, the nine-armed version of a menorah called a Chanukiah, and Adam Sandler. But here’s a few things you might not know about the world’s most oft-misspelled eight-day holiday: 1. The dates of Hanukkah are always different. Well, at least to our calendar. If you had a Hebrew calendar on-hand, you’d see that Hanukkah always begins on the 25th day of the Jewish month Kislev. For our Gregorian calendar, Hanukkah can begin anywhere between late November and late December, depending on the year. But why …
Friday, December 7, 2012
Hanukkah begins at sunset tomorrow night, Saturday December 8, and ends at sunset on Sunday December 16. Here are some recipes to help make your holiday sweet – and savory!
(Makes 12 large latkes) I shared my ‘basic’ version of this recipe two years ago, but I have come to realize that not everyone needs quite so many latkes. So here is a scaled-down version of the recipe – but you can always go back to the original if you like! Ingredients: Directions: Note: If you like grating your own potatoes (and, unlike me, can do so without grating your knuckles), substitute 3 medium baking potatoes for the Simply Potatoes pre-shredded ones. Make sure to grate the potatoes on the larger-holed attachment of your food processor or grater, and squeeze out all moisture in a dishtowel or with your hands. Also, add a tablespoon of water to your beaten eggs to make sure the mixture is moist enough. (Serves 4) Two years ago…
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Celebrate the Festival of Lights in Needham with fun events and delicious recipes.
This year, Hanukkah begins on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 8, and ends a week later on Sunday, Dec. 16. According to Chabad.org, Hanukkah starts on the Hebrew calendar date of 25 Kislev and lasts for eight days. For those of us who aren't attuned to the Jewish calendar, that translates to sundown on Saturday, Dec. 8. Next week, a crowd-sourced menorah will be lit on Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m. in the Needham Town Common. Temple Beth Shalom is also hosting a party on Saturday, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and are hosting another event, the Hanukkah Jewish Connection Experience. Where in town are you going to celebrate? What are your plans in Needham? Tell us in the comments below. Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, …
A menorah crowd-sourced earlier in the year will be lit next week.
For hanukkah, Needham's Chabad Jewish Center has a reputation of making a memorable, unique menorah--in the past, they have used LEGO bricks, toys, ice, and people. This year, they are using the internet and imagination. Next week, a crowd-sourced menorah will be lit on Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m. in the Needham Town Common. “On one hand, we’re very traditional; on the other hand, we’re very cutting edge,” Rabbi Mendy Krinsky director at Chabad Jewish Center told the Globe. “We’re here to serve the people on their level in 2012, and we’re going to use the tools of the modern era to spread our message.” In October, the Chabad Jewish Center partnered with Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) to host a Menorah design contest. …
