Hanukkah is a celebration of the survival of the Jewish religion when it was under serious threat from foreign occupiers in Israel.  In a wider sense, Hanukkah is a celebration of religious freedom, something that we Americans support very strongly.  The love of religious liberty has brought many immigrants to our country. 

In this country, all religions and cultures are free to express themselves.  That is something to celebrate.  In December, Christians will celebrate Christmas, and African Americans will observe Kwanzaa.  Each religious or cultural holiday has a distinctive message.  We should all learn to appreciate each other’s religious and cultural traditions, even as we are observing our own. 

            Since Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of one day’s worth of oil lasting for eight, it has been traditional to eat foods cooked in oil at this time of year.  These include latkes and doughnuts.  Latkes are potato pancakes, which are very popular in Central and Eastern Europe, where many of Bayonne’s Jewish families came from.  Apple pancakes and carrot pancakes are also available as alternative dishes.

            As each religious or cultural group holds its special celebrations during this holiday season, I call on everyone to respect and learn about each group’s traditions.  All of us should be proud to live in a community that encourages the acceptance of different faiths and nationalities. 

Happy Hanukkah!