3CLJC celebrated another Chanukah in Gloucester on the afternoon of Sunday 10 December. Around 50 people attended, half of whom were children. There were many new faces, some of whom had recently joined as new members and some were potential members who were enjoying our hospitality and celebration of Chanukah.
Rabbi Anna Gerrard led the entertainment and the theme was Sephardic Judaism with singing in Ladino, a language closely resembling Spanish. Rabbi Anna pointed out that the majority of Jews in the UK originate from Eastern Europe and spoke Yiddish which closely resembles German. However in Israel, there are many Sephardic Jews who originate from North Africa, Spain, Iran, Iraq and many other countries.
Songs were sung in Ladino with members dancing , children competing with adults in a dance off and also a game show style quiz, involving everyone up to the age of 24 making up their own questions and addressing these to the adults.
There was the ceremonial communal lighting of the candles on the various menorot which had been brought by several members of the community. The celebration ended with afternoon tea with copious amounts of donuts and potato latkes, as fried foods are traditionally eaten during Chanukah. It was a great community social occasion and one especially designed to encourage greater participation of our younger members.
