The Jewish holiday of Chanukah started at sundown last night, commemorating the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and a miracle where a small supply of oil burned for 8 days.
However, you may have trouble if you’re looking in the neighborhood for candles for your menorah: I just heard from a Jewish friend who said that apparently no stores in the neighborhood sell kosher Chanukah candles.
My friend went to Giant and didn’t find any. She was directed to the ethnic food aisle, which has kosher votive candles but no Chanukah candles. The DCUSA Target has a small Chanukah section with menorahs, but again no candles. There’s also a huge Christmas candle section, pictured here, about which my friend had this to say: “what really pissed me off is that Xmas is still 4 weeks away and all these places had those decorations, but none of Chanukah which was THAT night.”
You can’t use any old candle for Chanukah — Chanukah candles are kosher (blessed by a rabbi), are small, and also burn much longer than other candles. My friend had to use birthday candles, also pictured here. She noted the birthday candles “look silly, they aren’t kosher and they don’t last for very long,” about 20 minutes, while Chanukah candles generally burn for a few hours.
Anyone know of some nearby places to getChanukahcandles?
