By Paige Cooperstein, contributing writer
Twelve youngsters bounded into a wide-open room last weekend on the second floor of Temple Concord.
Soon they settled down. Their parents sat with them, cross-legged on blue patterned carpet at the synagogue on Madison Street in Syracuse.
The children were delighted by a story Amy Spitzer read about a village overflowing with latkes, the traditional fried potato pancake eaten during Hanukkah.
Meanwhile, her husband, Aaron Spitzer, prepared three tables behind the children with candle-making kits that included string wicks and beeswax slabs slightly smaller than playing cards.
The children and their parents were gearing up for tonight's start to Hanukkah — also known as the Festival of Lights — by making menorah candles and learning more about the Jewish holiday.
This is the first year Temple Concord has offered the candle-making activity.
Aaron Spitzer, who organized the event with his wife, explained how to put a 3-inch wick on the edge of a slab of beeswax and roll it up to make a candle for the menorah.
"It's like Play-Doh," Spitzer said. "If the wax breaks, just squish it back together. If it doesn't fit (in the menorah), just squish it a little more at the bottom."
The Spitzers are new members of Temple Concord's congregation. Amy teaches seventh grade in the Jamesville-DeWitt school district and Aaron home-schools their three children.
"We knew our synagogue life had to be very active with the kids, and we wanted to do a hands-on craft," Amy Spitzer said.
Joanna Cooper, 7, attended the party with her mom, Micaela Cooper. Joanna, who was working on a green candle, said pinching the wax was her favorite part.
Noah Satterlee, 7, and his brother Jack Satterlee, 8, were partial to green candles. Jack said he liked the texture of the beeswax and held up the green candle he made.
Elias Gamet, 4, who had an array of candles in front of him, said he has a countdown to Hanukkah. His mother Lura Lunkenheimer was helping him roll the wax around the wick. "I'm making rainbows." Gamet said.
Some parents were still rolling candles as their kids ran off to play.
"It's an adventure," said David Satterlee, Noah and Jack's father. Most parents said they would make candles with their kids again next Hanukkah.
''We'll get (the children) some latkes and apple sauce," Spitzer said, "and keep everyone having a good time."
"Mission accomplished," Lunkenheimer added.
The Hanukkah story
Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after a group of Jewish warriors defeated the occupying mighty Greek armies more than 2,000 years ago, according to Rabbi Yaakov Rapoport, of Chabad Lubavitch of Central New York.
Rapoport told of how the Syrian-Greek empire ruled Israel after Alexander the Great's empire was divided and the Jewish culture was suppressed.
Some Jews accepted the Greek culture, while a small resistant group did not. This small army of Jews fought against the large and powerful Greek army. Miraculously, the Jews won, they drove the Greeks out of Jerusalem and reclaimed the Holy Temple.
They found pagan sacrifices had been made on the temple's altar and the Greeks had defiled all the holy oil, leaving the Jews were unable to light the menorah — a symbol of holy wisdom and light to the world.
They eventually found one small vile of pure holy oil that had been sealed by the high priest. There was enough to light the menorah for one day. Knowing it would take eight days to travel north and return. Miraculously, the small amount of oil burned for eight days.
Every year, Jews commemorate the miracles by lighting the menorah and celebrating Hanukkah — a word meaning dedication and education. The holiday celebrates the victory of light over darkness, right over might and good overcoming evil, Rapoport said.
— Alex Ptachick, contributing writer
Menorah lighting ceremonies
The Chabad Lubavitch of CNY has scheduled a number of menorah lighting ceremonies and other Hanukkah-related events around the community in the upcoming week.
At 6:30 p.m. today, the first night of Hanukkah, Chabad will host a program at Hanover Square, Syracuse. It is the traditional lighting of the downtown menorah. There will be music, hot cider, Hanukkah gelt (chocolate coins) and dreydels for all those attending.
The schedule for the rest of the week in Hanover Square is: 4 p.m., Sunday to Thursday; 3:35 p.m., Dec. 14; and 6:30 p.m., Dec. 14.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, there will be an olive oil making workshop/demonstration at Wegmans, East Genesee Street, DeWitt. Attendees can see how olive oil is made from selecting the olives to separating the pure oil from what is extracted and try making some. Olive oil plays an integral role in the Hanukkah celebration, based on the miracle of the oil — when one little jar of oil burned for eight days.
At 6 p.m. Sunday, a menorah lighting is planned in front of Hendricks Chapel on the Syracuse University campus. Again, there will be music, hot cider, Hanukkah gelt and dreydels for all those attending.
At 5 p.m. Monday, the menorah will be lighted at the corner of East Genesee Street and Erie Boulevard, in DeWitt. Town officials will attend. Gelt and dreydels will be given out.
An electric menorah will be lighted 5 p.m. Tuesday in the main lobby at Hancock International Airport. Gelt and dreydels will be given out.
At 6: p.m. Wednesday, the public is invited to a menorah lighting by the clock on main street in the village of Manlius. Local officials have been invited. There'll be music, gelt and dreydels.
To learn more visit chabadsyracuse.com or call Rabbi Yaakov Rapoport at 727 0973.