Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 3 December 2003 — Page 7

December 3. 2003 IN 7

Kaplan Continued from page 5 Spinner. Atheneum. 48 pages. $16.95. This book is called a definitive Chanukah book and is a storybook written by a former children's book editor and illustrated by Jill McElmurry, a non-Jewish illustrator who learned from this experience. The hero of this book is Owen Block, six-and-a-half years old, OCL (official candle lighter) for his family. Each night he listens to a story from Grandma Karen about a different member of the family doing something special, then when they all come for a Chanukah dinner, he comes to appreciate his own background. The legend of Chanukah is included at the end, along with blessings and a glossary. This book is not just a celebration of the holiday but a special learning experience for this young boy about the importance of family roots. It's a book that should motivate youngsters 4 to 8 to ask questions about their own families and holiday customs and traditions. Hanukkah. By Cathy Goldberg Fishman. Kar-Ben Publishing. 48 pages. $5.95. Cathy Goldberg Fishman has written a variety of Jewish holiday books for children; Mary O'Keefe Young has illustrated children's books with her watercolor paintings. Together they have produced this book for 7- to 10-year-olds recalling the story of the Jews in Judea 2,000 years ago trying to maintain the right to worship as they pleased. The story then returns to today and a family lighting their chanukiah and following the other traditions of the holiday. The book concludes with instructions for the dreidel game and a glossary. Although the publisher claims this is "historically accurate," there are discrepancies, and one must be cautious, depending on the age of the child, to distinguish in this work between what is historical and what is legend. This work is definitely a mixture of both. The author might have done a better service to include guidelines for youngsters to connect to their own heritage rather than the dreidel game, which did not come from the Maccabean period in the first place and somewhat belittles

Holiday Recipes

the importance of the nice story. The Energizing Hanukkah Story for Children. By Chaim Mazo. Pitspopany Press. $7.95. Although this book is an updated version of an earlier work, it is not new from this season. The book begins with 10 questions to think about during Chanukah, then it explains the "Can you find?" aspect of the illustrations, where the average time to find what is requested is 27 minutes. First is the decree of Antiochus, something rarely told to children and which adds reality to the meaning of the Chanukah story. The Maccabees, why Chanukah, the legend of the oil, the rabbinical decree of the miracle (not from the original story), customs of Chanukah today, and games are presented. Interspersed between each serious explanation are the "Can You Find?" fun pages. Children 4 to 8 should enjoy the activities and gain new insights into the meaning of the holiday. And one for adults: The Lights of Hanukkah. By Barbara Rush. Stewart Tabori & Chang. 96 pages. $19.95. While doing research on the chanukiah, I have pored over many art books and holiday books to learn about the history of this eight-branched menorah. Most people erroneously call it a menorah, the Hebrew word for lamp, but, in fact, the menorah was the seven-branched candelabrum of the Temple, while the special Chanukah lamp is the eight-branched light used specifically for the holiday. Chanukah is the only historical festival not in the Bible but part of the Apocrypha, those books not incorporated into the Bible, and its story is recounted in Book 1 and Book II of the Maccabees. The oil lasting for eight days story was a creation of Talmudic rabbis along with rulings about celebrating the holiday with the lighting of candles - all basically embellishing the basic story and reason for the celebration, which were serious battles for religious freedom. This book relates the history of the Chanukah lamp from its early origins through the 20th century with color

photographs from 14 countries. The interesting history includes such facts as that originally there were only eight spaces, presumably for the eight-day festival, which was decreed to be celebrated. In the Middle Ages the ninth light was added and named the shammash, which means servant in Hebrew. One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is the evolution of the diverse shapes and designs as well as varied materials used by Jews in different countries through the ages. In Israel today, replicas of many of the designs shown in this book are available to purchase and have alongside one's own modern styles. The book concludes with directions for lighting a Chanukiah and the blessings. While one might think of this as a coffee table book, it is much more than that and would be a great gift for any family, meant to be read because the information as well as the photographs make for a fascinating learning experience.

Israeli Honey Cake

This is the Israeli honey cake that was served by Prime Minister Golda Meir. The recipe is from Borenstein Caterers, the catering arm and fully owned subsidiary of EL AL Israel Airlines. 1 cup honey 1 cup sugar 4 eggs 1 cup black coffee (room temp.) 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1 fresh orange, grated fine (juice, pulp, and skin) 4 to 4-1 /2 cups flour (adjust amount of flour to ensure mixture is moderately loose/pasty,

not overly loose) 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp salt 1 cup raisins Blend and mix honey, sugar, eggs, coffee, oil, and orange mixture. Sift dry ingredients and mix in slowly. Blend well. Add the raisins last and incorporate evenly. Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 greased baking pan or a 36-hole muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately one hour. Test for doneness and allow cake/muffins to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy and L'Chayim!

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