Holidays
the
warmth of Community Hanukkah provides this Chapel Hill family with a joyful feeling of connection By Chri s Vi t i el l o | Photography by Adin a Davids on
W
While the bustle of winter holidays
can stress many families, the feeling of Hanukkah is one of presence and connection for Mencken Davidson, Adina Davidson and their family, both in their home and at Kehillah Synagogue in Chapel Hill. Adina and Mencken’s house buzzes with activity all year long with four busy children: Ari Davidson, 13, Eliot Davidson and Jahmir Davidson, both 10, and Aaliyah Davidson, 7. As Hanukkah approaches, that buzz takes on a particularly joyful tone. The couple comes from very different family backgrounds. Adina, a family and fine art photographer and adjunct faculty in the UNC School of Education, is one of six siblings raised in South Florida. Mencken, a senior solution architect for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, grew up in a smaller, “secular WASP” family so he likens his first Thanksgiving with Adina’s family to a stadium rock concert. But, at Hanukkah, family time is a unifying factor for the Davidsons. “For me, it means a sense of community and reflection,” Adina says. “There was a time in my life when I wasn’t practicing the traditions as much, but when I became a
48
chapelhillmagazine.com
December 2021