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Hanukkah Oil Workshop
RABBI MENDY BUKIET: It’s not only for Jews, the celebration of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is a time where the Maccabees stood up for what they believed in. There was a dictatorship, there was a government that was oppressive, there was a government that didn’t allow them to express their religion
(Speaking to children) Now you guys all know the story of Hanukkah, is that correct? Yes…
RABBI BUKIET: Because the Greeks wanted to extinguish the light of Torah, therefore, today, we light a menorah. We light it outside if possible. We light it in our windows in order to bring that light into the world.
CHANIE BUKIET: (Speaking to children) We’re going to make two kinds of candles today…
RABBI BUKIET: We give out a lot of menorahs with candles. But, at home, I actually use oil. The flame of an oil flame is much prettier.
Oil is a very, very pure light. It resembles Judaism; it resembles our belief system. Just like oil gives light into a dark room, just like it brings warmth; for a Jew, it also brings warmth and light into his own personal life and into the world as a whole.
According to Jewish Law, you can use almost any type of oil except oil that gives off a bad smell.
In the Temple time, it had to be pure olive oil. They actually used only the first pressing of the olive. So we show the children how they actually did the first pressing.
(Speaking to children) In our Menorah we don’t have any wicks.
RABBI BUKIET: We actually make the wicks out of cotton balls. Once you have the wick, the oil will continue to flame for a long time.
There is a lot of darkness in the world. There’s a lot of hardships in the world. We have an opportunity to bring some light.
