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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 1992)
Gifts for the Super Hero in your life! ♦New & Collector Comics ♦Science Fiction ♦Adventure Games •T-Shirts & More REN & STIMPY AND STAR TREK STUFF Cosmic Comics Gift Certificates Available OUR 3 LOCA TIONS TO SERVE YOU Lincoln-Edgewood*5400 S. 56th, Ste 4 •423-2584 Lincoln-East Park Plaza-200 N. 66th •467-2727 Omaha-Harvey Oaks Plaza*144th & Center •336-9118 nebraska spirit THE BIG RED CHRISTMAS LIST NEBRASKA SWEATSHIRTS NEBRASKA BASEBALL CAPS NEBRASKA T-SHIRTS GIFTS AND NOVELTIES | IlM I SIH I I IISH IN Fashion II's \ Budget Shopping-List +Ue ev*ft t* five 4U ft{t* -+e* & c**Uf*ed jemettf -CettdAAi l<146,(9* j ce%U^Cc4Uc4 -4Ue44-(+%-4*CC€44 ^4UiC4tU Fashion II CONSIGNMENT BOUTIQUE Hours: 10-5:30, VI I- 10-8 lh 10-4 Sat 33rd & Pioneers 483-1324 Michelle Paulman/DN Cantor Michael Weisser of the South Street Temple, 2000 South St., says Hanukkah is a minor Jewish holiday compared to Christmas for Christians. Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah as minor holiday, professor says By Dionne Searcey Senior Editor Many Americans may think Ha nukkah is to Jews what Christmas is to Christians. Not so, a member of the Jewish community said. Stuart Margolis, a University of Ncbraska-Lincoln professor of com puter science, said Hanukkah was not a major Jewish holiday. • “Although it may be represented by the popular press as a major holi day, it certainly isn’t from a Jewish point of view,” he said. “It’s not a major holiday. On major holidays we stop working.” No special services arc usually planned for Hanukkah, he said. On the holiday, Jews may have candle lighting ceremonies or cat a heavily fried potato pancake called latkc, and the children play special games. Jewish people in the United Stales also take part in gift-giving on Hanuk kah, he said. “In America, Hanukkah has taken on great importance because it hap pened to fall at the same time as Christmas,” he said. Jewish parents don’t want their children to feel left out, Margolis said, when they see their Christian friends exchanging gifts. “Gift-giving wasa small part of the hol iday years ago. Today it’s taken on major proportions,” Margolis said. UNL has only about 60 to 100 Jewish students. Aboull.000 Jewish people reside in Lincoln, 6,000 to 8,000 live inOmaha and few Jews live elsewhere in Nebraska, he said. Hanukkah is different from other Jewish holidays, Margolis said, be cause it’s the only Jewish holiday that celebrates post-biblical events. Brian Shelhto/DN Hanukkah celebrates a military and religious victory that look place many years ago, he said. At that time, the land of Israel was - 44 Gift giving was a small part of the holiday years ago. Today it’s taken on major proportions. —Margolis political science professor -ft ’ occupied by Greeks, who forebode Ihc practice of the Jewish faith. The Maccabcc family, a group of priests, led a popular uprising, he said, and the Greeks were defeated. “This was really a fight for reli gious freedom — a popular uprising brought about by a small band of people who threw off their oppres sors," Margolis said. Miicr me ucicai, nc saiu, jowish people were able to rcinslilutc reli gious practices at the temple in Jerusa lem. But the Jewish people believed the Greeks had used the temple for pagan sacrifices, he said. They needed to find oil to anoint the temple and make it fit once again for Jewish rituals. But the Jews found just enough oil to last one day. “In fact, it lasted for eight days,” according to the legend, Margolissaid. Now, one candle is lit every night for eight days, in celebration of Ha nukkah, which means rcdcdication. The holiday starts each year on a day marked by the Hebrew calendar, Margolis said. This year, the first night of candle lighting is Dee. 19.
