I remember it quite clearly, it was on the 2nd night of Hanukkah, 2013, I was four years old at the time. We had been celebrating Hanukkah since I was born however I suppose up until this year, I was too young to pay attention or show any interest in the peculiar looking candle holder.   I remember asking my dad what it was and he said it was a Menorah. He told me that for each of the 8 days of Hanukkah you light one new candle and the middle candle. A few years later, when I was in fourth grade, we had a project about our favorite holidays, I chose Hanukkah. I went home that night to google a few things about a Menorah, knowing it was a big part of Hanukkah. I learned that it is typically made out of metal, (although the one I have at home is ceramic) and is a very important part of Jewish culture. As most story's of the Menorah and Hanukkah go, in ancient times, around 168 BCE, king Antiochus outlawed the Jewish religion. A group of rebels had only enough oil to light up one temple's Menorah. The small amount of oil kept the flames going for eight days, hence the eight days of Hanukkah. I found it so interesting how important Menorahs became for Hanukkah, all because of one temples Menorah. The Menorah is a big part of my Jewish ancestry, and not that I know more about it, I like to think of it as a big part of me as well.  

– E

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