Fellow Laker Sarah Krishef details the importance of Hanukkah in the Jewish community. According to Sarah, Hanukkah celebrates “a time when a small group of Jewish rebels managed to take back their temple from the Syrian-Greek empire.” The Jewish people found out that the Syrian-Greeks had desecrated a temple, and a candelabra, or menorah, that was supposed to stay lit had gone out. The Jewish people only had a little bit of oil left, but miraculously, they were able to relight the menorah and keep it burning for eight days, long enough for them to rebuild the temple. It’s this miracle that’s remembered and celebrated each year on Hanukkah.

Sarah appreciates Hanukkah because it’s an opportunity to “celebrate a bright and beautiful holiday in the middle of a dark winter.” She does recognize that Hanukkah isn’t talked about in the media nearly as much as Christmas, and she wishes the general public were more aware of Hanukkah and had a better understanding of its significance.

There are a wide variety of other faith-based organizations on campus including the Muslim Student Association, Center for Inquiry, Campus Ministry, Catholic Student Ministries, and many more. Spend some time learning about religions and cultures different from your own; do some research and get to know different people within the Laker community. No matter what you celebrate this year, remember to be respectful and stay safe!