Jose Leiva/Sun Journal

Andrew Casares, 4, of Auburn lights the Menorah as he celebrates Hanukkah with his family, father, Peter, mother, Allyson, and baby sister Olivia on the third night of of the festival at Temple Shalom in Auburn.

On a snowy December night, the menorahs are ready to be lit inside Temple Shalom in Auburn. The atmosphere is warm as tables are set and decorations lend a festive air to the Hanukkah celebration. Adults are bustling about with preparations for the meal and Rabbi Hillel Katzir, holding his guitar at the ready, tells of the order of the events for the evening. There is to be plenty of food, music, prayers, games and dancing.

Andrew Casares, 4, of Auburn is as excited as any child at a party. He and his parents, Peter and Allyson Casares, and his baby sister Olivia are gathered with other families at the temple to celebrate the third night of Hanukkah. When asked about the thing he loves the best about Hanukkah, Andrew said, “I like lighting the menorah. I use the Shamash, the helper candle, that lights all the other candles. Only it doesn’t count as one of the eight, that is eight and then one more.”

He runs to a special container at the entrance of the temple and chooses a navy blue yarmulke (head covering) for himself and a gold satin one for his new acquaintance, the photographer. It is a sign of respect for males to cover their heads in the temple.

The holiday is busy for Andrew, as he has been helping his mother with frying the latkes (potato pancakes) and joining his father in painting the wooden dreidels, or tops, at home. He traced the Hebrew letters onto each of the four sides. Children and adults alike enjoy the game.

According to some, one of the letters represents the phrase, “A great miracle happened there.” The miracle spoken of is the miracle of light, when only one night’s worth of oil for lamps lasted eight nights. A candle is lit for each of those nights in the celebration of Hanukkah, commonly called the Festival of Lights or Festival of Dedication.

Blessings are said at the lighting of the menorah. There is an abundance of food, traditionally latkes, applesauce, sour cream, and fried sweet dough, such as a jelly doughnut.

For Andrew, Hanukkah is about the latkes and the menorah, the fun and family. His father, Peter, explains that each night they try to do something fun as a family and they light the menorahs in their home. One stands by the outside window. Hebrew tradition calls for one menorah to be where people can see it from the outside of a home, so that the miracle for which it stands can be remembered. Though it may remind some of other holiday lights displayed, Rabbi Katzir says, “It is not the Jewish equivalent of Christmas.” It is the Festival of Lights with its own traditions and meanings.