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For some Fox Valley residents, this holiday season won’t revolve around reindeer and Santa Claus.
Though few and far between, Jewish families in the Fox Valley and across the world will celebrate Hanukkah beginning Friday and continuing through Saturday, Dec. 19.
Hanukkah, known as the “Festival of Lights,” is an eight-day Jewish holiday which honors the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Nine candles are lit on a menorah over the eight days with a special blessing, one each night, with an extra candle, or a shamash, used to light all the others. The lighting symbolizes the burning light in the temple.
Geneva resident Nancy Sohn is president of the Fox Valley Jewish Neighbors, a group of Jewish and interfaith families who live in Kane County, mainly in the Tri-Cities. She said she’s never been uncomfortable with being part of the Jewish minority in the western suburbs.
“I grew up exactly like that,” said Sohn, who was raised in southern Illinois. “The reality is, in the United States, the Jewish population is (about) 1.5 percent. It’s pretty much the case everywhere, unless you live in a real Jewish-dominated area. Even if you live in Chicago, everywhere you go there’s Christmas things.
“Some people are troubled by it, but most understand that’s part of life when you live around others,” she said. “Hopefully we can appreciate the differences in one another.”
Sohn said her group came together to unite local Jewish families. There are synagogues in Elgin, Aurora, DeKalb and Naperville, but none in the Tri-Cities.
“We’re a tiny minority, therefore it’s helpful to know (other families),” Sohn said. “You can live in Geneva and live two blocks away from someone and go to different synagogues.”
St. Charles resident Tammie Weinberger said her young children caused her to join FVJN. Weinberger, who converted to Judaism before marrying her husband, also sits on the board of directors for FVJN.
“It lets your kids know that there are other people out there (like them),” Weinberger said. “I think it’s an exceptional group in that you do have sort of small numbers of folks in a lot of different areas.”
Weinberger said the group is especially helpful in socializing her children with other Jewish youth in the area.
“It’s nice to have something ... that brings together all kinds of people who worship,” she said.
Batavia resident Lisa Foydel has been living in town since FVJN started and said the area would be a different place without the group. She also has young children and agrees that the group allows them to interact with other Jewish children.
For some Fox Valley residents, this holiday season won’t revolve around reindeer and Santa Claus.
Though few and far between, Jewish families in the Fox Valley and across the world will celebrate Hanukkah beginning Friday and continuing through Saturday, Dec. 19.
Hanukkah, known as the “Festival of Lights,” is an eight-day Jewish holiday which honors the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Nine candles are lit on a menorah over the eight days with a special blessing, one each night, with an extra candle, or a shamash, used to light all the others. The lighting symbolizes the burning light in the temple.
Geneva resident Nancy Sohn is president of the Fox Valley Jewish Neighbors, a group of Jewish and interfaith families who live in Kane County, mainly in the Tri-Cities. She said she’s never been uncomfortable with being part of the Jewish minority in the western suburbs.
“I grew up exactly like that,” said Sohn, who was raised in southern Illinois. “The reality is, in the United States, the Jewish population is (about) 1.5 percent. It’s pretty much the case everywhere, unless you live in a real Jewish-dominated area. Even if you live in Chicago, everywhere you go there’s Christmas things.
“Some people are troubled by it, but most understand that’s part of life when you live around others,” she said. “Hopefully we can appreciate the differences in one another.”
Sohn said her group came together to unite local Jewish families. There are synagogues in Elgin, Aurora, DeKalb and Naperville, but none in the Tri-Cities.
“We’re a tiny minority, therefore it’s helpful to know (other families),” Sohn said. “You can live in Geneva and live two blocks away from someone and go to different synagogues.”
St. Charles resident Tammie Weinberger said her young children caused her to join FVJN. Weinberger, who converted to Judaism before marrying her husband, also sits on the board of directors for FVJN.
“It lets your kids know that there are other people out there (like them),” Weinberger said. “I think it’s an exceptional group in that you do have sort of small numbers of folks in a lot of different areas.”
Weinberger said the group is especially helpful in socializing her children with other Jewish youth in the area.
“It’s nice to have something ... that brings together all kinds of people who worship,” she said.
Batavia resident Lisa Foydel has been living in town since FVJN started and said the area would be a different place without the group. She also has young children and agrees that the group allows them to interact with other Jewish children.
“There just aren’t very many Jewish families in the area,” Foydel said. “The holidays bring out some ways (the children) are different. Not all Jewish families put up Christmas lights and trees. It’s great that we can come together. ... Our temple is in Lombard; that’s pretty far away.”
All the socializing and fun of the holidays aside, Sohn said she likes to keep what she believes is the message of Hanukkah alive.
“It has an important message,” Sohn said. “A message of freedom and gaining religious freedom when someone wants to deny that. ... I think it’s really important.”
