“Chanukah, oh Chanukah,
Come light the menorah.
Let’s have a party,
We’ll all dance the horah.”

I learned this song at the Hillside Jewish center and proudly sang it for my family when Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, arrived in December. I loved this holiday because it meant lighting candles and reciting prayers each evening. I felt so proud when I learned the Chanukah prayer and could recite it when the candles were lit.

My mother prepared potato latkes to eat, grating the onions and potatoes by hand. The smell of them frying made my mouth water, and I had to decide whether to eat them with applesauce or sour cream.

My sister and I looked forward to receiving gifts on Chanukah. Some years we received one for each of the eight nights. Other years we received one big gift. Our parents did not want to spoil us. They focused more on the religious significance of this holiday, one I remember fondly.