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December 8, 2011
Hanukkah and its history
Everyone knows of Christmas and gifts under the tree, but one Jewish family is celebrating this month without gifts. Danielle Layman, senior in international studies, celebrates Hanukkah Dec. 20-28 with her three children. Layman says that during Hanukkah, they light a Chanukiah, more commonly referred to as a menorah, or candelabrum, for eight days. “The Chanukiah has holders for nine candles,” Layman said. “On the evening of Hanukkah, we light the middle candle, which is called the servant, then light one candle each day after with only the servant candle.” Layman explains that the servant candle represents the Messiah, and it is called the servant to remind them that the Messiah is a servant of God. “During Hanukkah, we don’t have giftgiving, but we do eat lots of food made in oil and play lots of games,” Layman said. “One of the games we play is when we pretend to be a dreidel (a spinning top) by spinning around and the last one to fall over gets money, like a quarter.” Layman explains the history behind Hanukkah and the reason it is celebrated the way it is. “It all started when the Greeks ruled over the land and brought Hellenism, which worshipped beauty and athletics,” Layman
the first miracle and no one can deny it,” Layman said. “They then liberated the temple on the 25th day of the month of Kislev and rededicated the temple on that day.” The main purpose of the Chanukiah, Layman says, comes from that day when they had only one can of oil, enough for just one day, that wasn’t ruined. But that oil lasted for eight days. “This is why we put food in lots of oil during Hanukkah,” Layman said. “Our favorite is traditional fried donuts, but the closest thing we can get to them is from Yummy Buffet in the dessert aisle.” Layman says that there are many other Hannukah traditions, including where to place the Chanukiah and when to light it. “We light the candle at sundown every night and set it by the window for people who are passing to see it,” Layman said. “But we cannot touch it except to light the candles.” Another tradition the Layman family enjoys is singing the blessing as they light the candle and after. “We pretty much play every night until we pass out,” Layman said. Layman’s husband is not Jewish, so she still allows her children and herself to participate with his family in celebrating Christmas. “I respect them enough to celebrate Christmas with them, but I will not have a Christmas tree in my house,” Layman said.
We wish you a thrifty Christmas Caitlin Taylor Collegio Reporter
Katie Wright has seven people on her Christmas list. “I’m buying for my family obviously, and four close friends,” Wright, sophomore in communication and Spanish, said. “I usually buy presents for my parents and sister, and I make presents for my friends.” With Christmas drawing closer, students like Wright are starting to budget for Christmas presents and narrowing down whom to buy for. Wright says she starts budgeting after Thanksgiving and tries hard to keep it under $200. “I tend to splurge on my family, buying things from places like Urban Outfitters,” Wright said. “For my friends I make things like photo collages, blankets, scarves and paintings.” Wright says she already has her family done and shopped for. She says she tries to remember throughout the year what they like instead of acquiring a list from them. “One of the coolest presents I have gotten for someone was a toaster that pops up with a Mickey Mouse face on the toast,” Wright said. “I was able to get it online for a good price.” With only a week or so before heading home for winter break and with finals next week, students are facing the holiday crunch in both time and money. Rebekah Curtis, junior in communication, budgets similarly to Wright.
“I plan ahead and start setting aside money right after Thanksgiving and plan out who I am buying gifts for,” Curtis said. “I budget about $30 - $50 for my family and about $10 - $20 for my roommates,” Curtis said. “I ask them what they want and keep them in mind while shopping, but I think I am mainly going to be buying clothes this year.” Curtis, who works as a waitress at Chatters Bar and Grill, says she budgets her expenses. “I have bills set aside and I make sure my essentials are paid, and once that is done I then focus on wants and presents,” Curtis said. One of the most expensive gifts she bought, a Vera Bradley purse, is for her mom. “I’m pretty simple in what I buy,” Curtis said. “I usually try to do my shopping around this time, but I refuse to do it right after Thanksgiving or right before Christmas.” Emily Lednicky, a junior in sustainability, has a different way of budgeting. Collegio/ Srikanth Korlapati “I don’t really have an x amount of Emmaly Farr, freshman in business dollars to spend on people,” Lednicky said. management, says she’s saving “I usually just buy things whenever I have money for Christmas. the money.” Lednicky says she starts shopping “Last year I went to Joplin to shop, but around the first of December. The people I don’t usually ever buy any gifts from she is buying for this year are her parents, Wal-Mart,” Lednicky said. brother, maybe her sister in-law, and some The most expensive gift she bought, a smaller gifts for other people. $30 juicer, is for her dad. Lednicky says that lately, the only “I usually just go with the flow in shopshopping she has done has been at speping,” Lednicky said. cialty shops in Lawrence.
Students dreaming of a Green Christmas Zach Wagner Collegio Reporter Pitt State student are dreaming of a green Christmas this year - green as in cash. As the semester comes to a close, currently employed students are eager to put in extra hours and begin earning a big paycheck for their hard work. Noelle Kownslar says that working at Ron’s Supermarket, University Housing and being a full-time student has proven to be challenging. It’s less struggling at the end of the semester when homework tapers off and finals are the only real concern,” said Kownslar, junior in communication education. “As we get further into the holiday season, I’ve been able to work more hours than usual. I’ll be close to full-time by the time winter break comes along. I’ll be pretty busy in the deli, customers will be stocking up on produce for the season.” Other students like Jonathan Lang have to travel outside of Pittsburg for work. Lang is an Olathe Firestone employee and he says he looks forward to the extra hours he will get during winter break. “I’m probably going to be near 50 (hours a week) during the break,”
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Collegio/ William Ravenstein Danielle Layman stands with her daughters Amber, Ma’ayan and Deborah while holding the chanukiah, or menorah, which is used to hold candles during Hanukkah also known as the Festival of Lights.
said Lang, freshman in automotive technology. “I haven’t had too much trouble balancing school and my job this semester, but the increased activity at work over break will be pretty challenging to keep up with.” Denise Southard is a student who works at Bath and Body Works. “Working 15 to 20 hours a week this semester, working with customers and communicating with my boss has been difficult for me to balance school as well,” said Southard, freshman in elementary education. “We credit the holiday season as one of our most profitable and busiest times with customers coming in and buying gifts for the end of the year.” But some students say the holiday season is a difficult time to find employment. Lauren Rose, an employee at the Business Technical Institute on campus, says that despite her job experience she has been unable to find any off-campus jobs. “It’s been great working on campus,” said Rose, sophomore in elementary education. “I’d like to find somewhere I can work over break, though, since there’s no work on campus over break. Once this semester ends I’ll probably spend the beginning of my break job hunting and hope something will turn up.”
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said. “The Greeks, wanting everyone to be like them, banned worship of the Israeli God, so if the Jews were reading the Bible and an officer came in, they pulled out dreidels and played with them to hide the fact they were praying. That’s where dreidels came into play.” Layman says that the Greek ruler, Antiochus, told a woman, Hannah, and her seven sons to bow down to him. But as a Jew she refused, and he took her first son and told her he would kill him if she wouldn’t bow. Still Hannah refused, and one by one, Antiochus killed all seven of her sons in front of her. “Hannah then prayed for God to take her soul for she had nothing else to live for, and she died right there with no explanation,” Layman said. Layman says that after that, the Greeks took over the Jewish temple and turned it into an idol-worshipping place. There were cans of oil to keep the Chanukiah lit, and the soldiers took them and desecrated them with urine and feces so they were no longer usable. “But then came a man named Mattathias and his five sons, “Layman said. “Mattathias had had enough and he stood and yelled, ‘He who is on God’s side, come to me.’ This declared war on the Greeks, the strongest army in the world at that time.” Layman says that a few hundred Jews fought against the massive army of the Greeks and won. “They won with God on their side. It was
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