Kosher Bakery Rolls Out Doughnuts For Festival Of Lights

The Age

Wednesday December 5, 2007

By Carolyn Webb

CHRISTMAS gets all the publicity but there are other faiths, and other rituals going on about town.

Today is the first day of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights - one of the busiest weeks of the year for Glick's kosher bakery in Carlisle Street, Balaclava. The company will make 40,000 doughnuts (compared to 1000 in a normal week) and 4000 latkes (potato cakes).

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication, in 165BC, of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by the Seleucid emperor Antiochus IV.

Jewish tradition says that during the rededication, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame for one day. But the oil miraculously burned for eight days and that is why Jews light a candle each day at dusk on a candelabra called a hanukkiah, until all eight candles are lit.

They also eat food cooked in oil - hence the doughnuts and latkes.

Adina Belfer, 27, of East St Kilda, expects to attend four get-togethers with family and friends in the next week. She will give her children Shevy, 3, and Zaki, 1, presents on the fifth night of Hanukkah, "when there is more light than darkness" - that is, five lit and three unlit candles on the hanukkiah.

Mrs Belfer says Hanukkah reminds her that Jews have to "be strong together, especially in dark times or in hard times. You have to believe in God."

Most Jews do not go to special synagogue services. But the community is running dozens of events over the next week, culminating in the "Chanukah in the City" celebration at Federation Square next Tuesday. There will be carnival rides, appearances by Lord Mayor John So and comedian Steve Bedwell, and a performance by the local Jewish punk band Yidcore, whose latest album is titled They Tried to Kill Us, They Failed, Let's Eat!

© 2007 The Age

Back to News Index | Back to Home