Dec. 14--Non-Jews, Jews alike enjoy Decatur event

By SHEILA SMITH

DECATUR -- Sierra Barnette found it was not all about lighting candles and eating latkes after attending her first Hanukkah celebration.

The 9-year-old said the traditional potato pancakes served looked disgusting but tasted good.

And she learned, "Everyone gets a present every day, and they light the menorah," she said.

Sierra, who attends GT Church and is not Jewish, was at the Temple B'nai Abraham for the Jewish community Hanukkah dinner Sunday evening. Hanukkah started Friday and continues through Dec. 18.

Jews celebrate the eight nights that commemorate their victory over the Syrians in taking back the Temple of Jerusalem in 165 B.C. There was one day's worth of oil left to keep the menorah burning in the temple, but it became a miracle as the oil lasted for eight days.

Shannon Mittleman, who is Jewish, invited her daughter, Bella's, friend Sierra to join them during the Hanukkah celebration.

Mittleman said her family's home is decorated with all the Hanukkah symbols and lights.

After dinner, they light a candle on the menorah and sing Hanukkah songs. She gave her children a Wii game system and will get them other gifts each night of Hanukkah.

"It's all about the miracle and the oil lasting eight days," said Diane Pyle, who watched the third candle being lit on the temple's menorah.

"That's what Hanukkah means to me; it's about hanging in there -- not letting adversity get you down," she said.

"My parents celebrated Hanukkah," Randy Wak said. "We lit candles, said prayers and got a gift each night. And then there was the food."

He added how he has one of the "coolest-looking" menorahs at home, which is a miniature Volkswagen with the candleholders on top of it and painted in psychedelic colors that his sister from California had given him.

Wak, however, did enjoy this year's gift from fellow temple member Pyle that was a Jewish joke book called "Jewtopia."

He got a kick out of the different humorous items in the book, especially this question:

"Who is your favorite Moses?"

Moses who parted the Red Sea

Moses Mendelssohn (composer and piano virtuoso)

Moses Malone (former NBA player)

sheilas@herald-review.com 421-7963.

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