{"id":1331,"date":"2015-12-13T12:13:17","date_gmt":"2015-12-13T16:13:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adrenalinedrash.com\/?p=1331"},"modified":"2015-12-13T12:27:22","modified_gmt":"2015-12-13T16:27:22","slug":"hannukah-waddya-know-at-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adrenalinedrash.com\/?p=1331","title":{"rendered":"Hanukkah Waddya Know at TOO"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"latkes\"<\/a>We\u2019d lit the candles, eaten a sumptuous meal including latkes, chicken (for the birdievores among us), a spicy bean stew, shepherd\u2019s pie, crisply cooked green beans, and the usual assortment of desserts. We\u2019d sung Ma\u2019oz Tzur<\/em>, S\u2019vivon<\/em>, and other Hanukkah songs. A variety of congregants delivered jokes, stories, poetry, puns, and song during dinner. Afterwards, we all collaborated on a cool craft project whose final outcome will be seen at the next Shabbat service, I am told.<\/p>\n

Finally, during digestion, a game of \u201cHanukkah Waddya\u2019 Know.\u201d<\/p>\n

I gave each table a minyan of questions. They were to work as a group.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccuracy counts,\u201d I said, \u201cbut feel free to be creative. The winning table receives a free trade dark chocolate bar to share with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Everyone in our community is fully aware that I believe that milk chocolate is an Abomination to the LORD.)<\/p>\n

I wandered about listening and observing as everyone got to work. But I didn\u2019t get too close. Otherwise people feel they have to check in with rabbinic authority, and I prefer the etz chayyim hi<\/em> model, where they do their level best to find out just how much they know and how much fun they can have on their own. Jewish practice should feel like blowing soap bubbles: Start the breath flowing and all sorts of magic will sparkle before your eyes \u2013 and heart.\"Hanukkiahs\"<\/a><\/p>\n

One table repeatedly burst into collective laughter, another remained steadfastly serious, and yet another featured individuals experiencing excited \u201cyes\u201d moments evidenced by jumping up and down in their seats. (This is not an easy thing to manage.) After about fifteen minutes, we gathered up the answers, a representative of each table read their answers, and the entire group was asked to declare the winning table.<\/p>\n

The steadfastly serious table repeatedly demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of the holiday by answering all questions directly and correctly. Yes, Hanukkah means \u201cdedication.\u201d No, Hanukkah is not mentioned in Torah. Yes, it is the shammash<\/em> candle that is used to light the others.<\/p>\n

You get the idea.<\/p>\n

The table of boisterous laughter proved they had a command of the material. They added definitions for \u201cHanukkah,\u201d indicating that one might associate education, rest, and even grace with the term, depending on how you parse its letters.<\/p>\n

When asked to name a popular Hanukkah song, they invented one, using the melody of Meghan Trainor\u2019s \u201cAll About That Bass.\u201d Their version: \u201cAll about the nes<\/em>, \u2018bout the nes<\/em>, no oy…\u2019ll<\/em>.\u201d (Nes<\/em> is Hebrew for \u201cmiracle.\u201d)<\/p>\n

One member of the seriously-minded table immediately accused this group of being nes-<\/em>sayers. But the song deserved what it got: Much in the way of appreciative applause by the under-fifty crowd. Some over-fifties seem not to have gotten the joke.<\/p>\n

The table with excited \u201cyes\u201d moments were, we all decided, the clear winners of the dark chocolate bar. Here are some of their answers to our quiz questions:<\/p>\n