FESTIVAL UNITES SOUTHLAND JEWS.Byline: Gloria Gonzales Daily News Staff Writer Jewish families from all over the Southland united for a daylong Hanukkah celebration at Calamigos Ranch on Sunday. ``It's an opportunity for all of us to get together in one place, and celebrate the Hanukkah miracle and the traditions,'' said Nana Stark of Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. , who wandered the festival grounds with her husband, Allan, and the couple's four children. ``Here, we can share our traditions and discuss our history.'' Stark proceeded to question Rabbi Mendel Bluming during a demonstration of olive pressing about the finer points of the Hanukkah story. The eight-night-long festival dates back more than 2,000 years, Mendel said, to a period when Israel was dominated by Syrian rulers and Jewish religious practices were outlawed and temples were often defiled de·file 1 tr.v. de·filed, de·fil·ing, de·files 1. To make filthy or dirty; pollute: defile a river with sewage. 2. . The holiday commemorates the Jews regaining their freedom and their holy places, and the miracle that helped them to openly practice their faith. The lighting of the menorah menorah Multibranched candelabra used by Jews during the festival of Hanukkah. It holds nine candles (or has nine receptacles for oil). Eight of the candles stand for the eight days of Hanukkah—one is lit the first day, two the second, and so on. , an eight-armed candelabra, is an important Jewish ritual requiring purified olive oil olive oil, pale yellow to greenish oil obtained from the pulp of olives by separating the liquids from solids. Olive oil was used in the ancient world for lighting, in the preparation of food, and as an anointing oil for both ritual and cosmetic purposes. for the lighting of each candle, Mendel said. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the Hanukkah story, upon entering the holy temple in Jerusalem The Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple (Hebrew: בית המקדש, transliterated Bet HaMikdash and meaning literally "The Holy House") was located on the Temple Mount (Har HaBayit) in the old city of Jerusalem. , the Jews discovered that seven out of eight tiny flasks of purified olive oil had been opened by the Syrians. Only one bottle remained sealed, containing only enough oil for the lighting of the first candle. The Jews feared they would run out of oil before new oil was pressed, a process which also took eight days. The miracle of Hanukkah came to pass when the small flask of oil lasted through the eight nights, until each menorah candle was lit and new oil was ready. The Jewish traditions celebrated at Hanukkah Wonderland, Sunday's daylong festival, focused on the Jewish experience of religious persecution  The neutrality and factual accuracy of this article are disputed.Please see the relevant discussion on the . and attendant religious pride and solidarity, Mendel said. ``We remember that the Jews fought a battle to win their religious freedom. During the festival we can show that we are proud of our religion and proud to show our Judaism together. Judaism has always been challenged. This is an opportunity for Jewish unity.'' The festival is also an educational opportunity for Jewish families, with displays and exhibits on pressing olive oil, keeping kosher and making matzo, as well as educational arts and crafts arts and crafts, term for that general field of applied design in which hand fabrication is dominant. The term was coined in England in the late 19th cent. as a label for the then-current movement directed toward the revivifying of the decorative arts. . More than 10,000 people were expected at the festival, Mendel said, including many from Jewish schools, preschools, temples and community centers. The daylong event was sponsored by the Jewish Federation, Valley Alliance and Chabad of Conejo and the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Chabad, a nonprofit educational and social service organization, also sponsors schools, youth groups and activities, adult education programs, libraries, synagogues, crisis counseling, and other charitable ventures. CAPTION(S): 3 Photos PHOTO (1 -- color) Eli Beck, 9, left, and friend Shimmie Gutstein ride a paddle boat. (2 -- color) Chaim Bloch urges festivalgoers to participate in giving charity. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News (3 -- Simi edition only) Lisa Priminger, 9, left, and friend Michal Erder find solitude behind large dreidels at the Agoura festival. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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