For eight consecutive nights each winter the Crowe-Thompson family gathers to celebrate traditions that are both thousands of years in the making and, at the same time, modern in their approach. Maintaining their Jewish traditions each Hanukkah is a way to bring the Woodinville family together while strengthening bonds to their heritage and community.
The family partakes of many traditional Hanukkah activities: lighting menorahs, special holiday foods, community gatherings, gift-giving, and community service.
“There are a lot of angles to the holiday,” says Zoe Crowe, the mother of the family. “Since it’s eight days long you have a lot of chances to fit in different traditions. Many of our Hanukkah traditions fit in among daily life, and some days are ‘big’ days with more concentrated time. Sometimes it’s ‘let’s get this menorah lit before we take you to water polo,’ and sometimes we sit down to have some family time.”
One of the hallmarks of Hanukkah is the eight-candle menorah on which the first candle is lit on the first night of Hanukkah, and each night that follows an additional candle is lit until all the candles burn brightly on the final night of the celebration. In the Crowe-Thompson family, usually several menorahs are lit each night. One night each Hanukkah they also gather with their congregation to light dozens of menorahs together. Some menorahs are traditional while others are family heirlooms or art pieces. One of the family’s favorites, however, is their “Menorah-saurus,” a dinosaur-shaped menorah with candles going up its back.
Menorah-saurus (Photo courtesy Zoe Crowe)
The family usually exchanges small gifts on each night of Hanukkah, and extends the tradition by focusing on another keystone of the holiday, charity. Many years the family will clear out their cupboards and deliver used towels and blankets (along with some fresh pet food) to a local animal shelter.
Because the historic story of Hanukkah refers to a miracle involving oil, many traditional Hanukkah foods are cooked in oil. The warm smells of freshly fried latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (Jewish donuts) fill the Crowe-Thompson home every Hanukkah. Zoe puts her own twist on these traditions, too, by sometimes substituting healthy zucchini for potatoes in her latkes or subbing Top Pot for homemade donuts when life gets busy. Whatever the foods are and however they are prepared, the important part is to share them together.
Family and togetherness play a huge part in Hanukkah traditions. Zoe grew up on the east coast where Judaism was prevalent, but in a time when practicing Jewish traditions was not always safe. As such, many Jewish traditions during her upbringing, including Hanukkah, were discouraged and not publicly displayed.
When she had children of her own, however, Zoe felt it was critical to rekindle some of these traditions for the next generation:
“My family began celebrating Hanukkah when I was about 17 years old. I really enjoyed these traditions and felt like they were filling a void, so I have been intentional about bringing them back with my family. Hanukkah brings us together.”
