The Hanukkah menorah, or in Hebrew:  מנורת חנוכה‬ menorat ḥanukkah, is a nine branched candle that is periodically lit on each day of Hanukkah. This Jewish holiday is observed for 8 days, beginning on the 25th day of kislev, which may occur anytime from late november to late december. Every Hanukkah, we the candles on the menorah, every day of hanukkah. This was not so much for religious reasons, but more for me to learn and recognize my ancestry, and deep rooted culture that my ancestors were brought up in. It is what makes me, me. My father’s ancestors arrived in here in 1880 from Lithuania (it is unknown where they lived), and were very observant of Judaism. They went to synagogue and fasted on all the important, holidays. They incorporated Judaism into their everyday lives. In my house, this menorah is virtually the only symbol of my jewish heritage, since my family is not religious. Even though my father (the Jewish side of me) did have a bar mitzvah, and most of his family is observant, he decided not to raise me to be religious. However, this is exactly why it means so much to me because I still like to recognize the vast amount of Jewish ancestry in my family, and what they celebrated. To this day, I look up at the menorah and invision my ancestor’s immigration to the USA and how it has shaped not only me, but my entire family’s principles.

– Adam

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more