Temple Tikvah Celebrates Chanukah

Several men of the Brotherhood were excited and proud to make the Temple's children latkas to celebrate Chanukah.

"When you see the look on the kids' faces when they participate and eat the latkas," explained Brotherhood member Marty Goldschmidt, "that's why we do this."

The latkas have been a tradition dating back to before Temple Tikvah was formed from Temple Emmanuel of New Hyde Park and Temple Israel of Jamaica merging a few years ago. Barry Wolf, president of the Brotherhood, said of those two experiences of making pancakes and latkas that, "Those are two great traditions of frying carbohydrates."

About 90 children devoured those latkas and sang Chanukah songs and then listened to prayers by Rabbi Randy Sheinberg and music by the Temple's cantor, Guy Bonne. The children had either a menorah or dreidel in front of them that they had previously decorated during their Hebrew school session. 

This particular Hebrew school session also included an Israeli dance lesson by Adam Bloom. Students from kindergarten through third grade were taught two dances and students in fourth through seventh grades learned three dances.

"The kids did well," Bloom said. "And it's great that the teachers and assistant teachers participated."

That wasn't the only dancing that was done recently at Temple Tikvah though; the previous night there was a dinner dance party for Chanukah. The party also included games for the kids, such as playing a game similar to horseshoe with dreidels.

Sharon Fricano, principal of the Hebrew school, said during the party that, "it's exciting to see all the kids together."

Not only were there a lot of children at the event, but there was another a multi-generational span from child to grandparent.

Estelle Pearl came with her daughter and her daughter's family to the event; she belongs to a different Temple but she anticipates switching her membership to Temple Tikvah soon.

"Every time they have a function, I'm here," she said, adding, "We came out for a little bit, but now we're staying because the kids are having so much fun."