Many holidays celebrated throughout December

WMU students celebrate Hanukkah, among other holidays

By Daing S. Nasir
Western Herald

The month of December is indeed a true month of festivity celebrated by many students on the campus of Western Michigan University.

The holidays at the end of the month will not only be celebrated by those of the Christian faith on Christmas, but also by Judaism followers on Hanukkah.

“Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem,” said Hillel President Jay Pliskow.

“Often called the ‘Festival of Lights,’ for when the Jews reclaimed the Holy Temple from the Greeks only one day’s supply of oil was found to light the Temple’s menorah (candelabra). However, this one-day’s supply lasted for eight days,” Pliskow said.

This means that this year Hanukkah will be celebrated from Dec. 21 to 29,” Pliskow said.

To commemorate this miracle, Jews all over the world will light the candles of the Hanukia (menorah with nine total branches).

“Each night an additional candle is lit until on the final night eight candles, one for each day, and one candle called the Shamash, used to light all the rest, will be lit,” Pliskow said.

“I am normally with my family, but this year we are all spread out,” said Benjamin Ayer, an environmental studies major.

“I’ll definitely be attending several Hanukkah parties though. I also always volunteer at my synagogue housing homeless people,” Ayer said.

Festivity delicacies for Hanukkah include foods fried in oil, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts).

“We always eat oily food to remind us of the oil that lasted,” Ayer said.

On Dec. 22 the Chinese community will celebrate the Dongzhi Festival, a winter festivity that originates from East Asia. Dongzhi is often known as the Winter Solstice festival.

Dongzhi festival is one of the most significant celebrations that pertains to the Dongzhi solar system, commemorating the day when the sunlight is at its shortest.

“The festivity is celebrated in a way that it marks a time for family to be together, eat dumplings and be thankful for all our blessings,” said Yi  Ching Koh, a biomedical major.

“This year I will be celebrating Dongzhi Festival in Virginia with my family and relatives, so that despite the cold weather and all, we will be very thankful on the day of the festivity enjoying the company of each other and also Tangyuan soup to keep us warm.”