Latkes and Lights

There is something very beautiful about the idea of lights burning through the night and though many Jewish people say Hannukah is for the children, I think the child in all of us can take heart in the symbolism of the holiday. We who pray, in whatever way we do and to whomever we think hears, are saying in our quiet moments we believe, despite all the sadness and despair, a glimmer (sometimes it only seems like the tiniest glimmer) of hope endures and somebody or something is listening. We have all had moments, whether we talk about them or we don’t, where impossible grace or hope or wisdom seemed achievable and in looking back at my moments, I think today, of the lamps which kept burning in the inaugural Hannukah. In this world where so many sad things seem to be happening we have to find ways not to be discouraged into not trying to solve big problems, and I have found the key to not being discouraged in my life is to remember the little lights which have kept burning, encouraging me on through the darkness, the sadness and the mess. As I write this I am reminded of the motto of Motel 6 - “We’ll keep the light on for ya,” and growing up in the woods, my parents left the light on whenever we were coming home late. There are people for all of us for whom we will always keep the light on for, whether it be the porch light or the light in private corners of our hearts and it is our choice for who and how you keep your lamps lit.

For those who don’t know, the miracle of Hanuakah is this: oil which was needed by the ancient Hebrews to power lamps lasted and kept the lamps lit in a way which seemed impossible to the ancient Hebrews, as it should have run out. Jewish people believe their higher power, loved the ancients so much he said in his own way “I’ll keep the light on for ya” . Burning miraculously, these lights became a symbol of inextinguishable love, insight and support and today we call this season which is so important to many, the “season of lights”. What does keeping the light on for people in our lives, people we know and people we don’t, look like? Personally, it looks as it looks for everybody in their own way, but in world, it means so often being fair to people and giving people the opportunity to join the conversation if they are respectful and have valuable things to add. We re not compelled to keep the light on for people who tried to extinguish our own personal light or the lights we have left on for others. . While in this time of environmental crisis this motto might seem wasteful, I think especially the people who have concerned themselves with saving this planet need to keep the proverbial light on, the solar powered light, to welcome people who wish to join them but are hesitant because activism is something they are unfamiliar with or because other causes which seem progressive which they associate with the environmental movement have not always been in line with what they were taught to believe or have even been exposed to.

This time of year is cold, and unrelentingly dark, as I pull into the spot in front of my house I am always cheered to see the light turn on. Since nobody lives in my apt except me, this tiny little light seems to welcome me and in my sad solitary moments, it makes me feel like somebody (Even if it is the tiniest of imps living inside the motion sensor) is happy I am home safe.

At this time of year, people of the Jewish tradition fry foods in oil as a reminder of the nights which were lit, which should not have been. In honor of Hanukah and my memories, I made some latkes and due to a phone snafu narrowly avoided making schmaltzkes (like latkes but only schmaltzier) and they were very satisfying. When I searched for latke recipes, I saw a schmaltzke recipe and well, I have a fine appreciation of schmaltze and believe with many things the schmaltzier the better, but the recipe would not open on my phone. There were mishaps with my latkes as there often is when trying a recipe or using equiptment you have yet to master. This Christmas I received a Dutch oven and I am still learning to use it so I could not get the oil sufficiently hot to fry my latkes so I got a pile of oily mess. Frugal happens to be my middle name so I could not bring myself to pour more expensive olive oil into my skillet so I ended up frying them in butter, which yes I know, even though I am definitely Catholic, defeats the symbolism of frying things during Hanukah. The butter was salted and I misread the recipe and had put too much salt in to begin with, but I, being the lover of potatoes and symbolism I am, soldiered on and slathered them in apple sauce. Next year, shmaltzkes might be on the menu, but through this coming year I am planning on trying to focus on the lights which keep burning ..and I am trying to add a little schmaltz to my every day life.

Ingredients

3-5 medium potatoes

medium onion (sweet) diced

garlic powder

2 eggs

2 tbls of flour or matzo meal

salt (tsp)

pepper (tsp)

oil or butter to fry them.