American Hanukkah experiences?

November 22, 2007 2:50 PM

Does anyone know where I can find anecdotes surrounding Hanukkah in modern American culture?

I'm trying to find a wide array of stories and experiences of how assorted, mainstream Jewish families celebrate this holiday... not the history so much, but funny, sad, or any other real life tales of what a typical festivity includes, and any side dramas as a result.

If anyone has personal experiences, I'd love to hear them, or links to websites, movies or books that cover the subject.

posted by Unsomnambulist to Religion & Philosophy (6 answers total)

Best answer: There's a book that just came out that covers this How to Spell Chanukah.
posted by drezdn at 5:52 PM on November 22, 2007

Response by poster: Nice. I'll try and snag it while dodging other shoppers tomorrow.
posted by Unsomnambulist at 6:44 PM on November 22, 2007

Chanukah at Yeshiva University.
posted by tellurian at 8:00 PM on November 22, 2007

There's a pretty terrific book called A Different Light which has a lot of how-to stuff in it, but also some terrific anecdotes about the American Hanukkah experience.

It also exists as a Google book here: http://tinyurl.com/2na3al, which means that you can look through a bunch of it online without needing to pay for it (yet)!
posted by AngerBoy at 8:09 PM on November 22, 2007

" ... Even when the calendar isn't playing tricks, Hanukkah is confusing, one of those holidays that tend to induce a spot of seasonal existential angst in secularized New York Jews...."

For red diaper babies, Hanukkah can be celebrated as a political holiday, rather than a religious one.
posted by Carol Anne at 5:21 AM on November 23, 2007

Response by poster: Bought, and now halfway through reading, How To Spell Chanukah.
EXACTLY the sort of stuff I was looking for. Thanks!
posted by Unsomnambulist at 12:36 PM on November 24, 2007