It’s Potato Latke Time!

If your church or Bible study has never held a Hanukkah party, you don’t know what you’re missing.

It’s not difficult, and it teaches both children and adults how God protects His people and how important it is to stand up for what you believe. Hanukkah also has prophetic significance because the murderous Seleucid king of Syria, Antiochus IV (Antiochus Epiphanes), who tried to destroy Judaism, is a type of the coming Antichrist.

The joyous, eight-day celebration, also called the Festival of Lights and Feast of Dedication, begins on sundown December 21 and commemorates the cleansing of the Temple after Antiochus desecrated it around 167 B.C. by setting up a statute of Zeus—which looked like Antiochus—in the holy place and sacrificing a female pig on the altar. The heroes were a Jewish priest named Mattathias the Hasmonean, and his son Judah the Maccabee.

Legend goes that, after the Temple was recaptured, the Jewish people wanted to rededicate it but only found enough oil for one day. It took eight days to consecrate new oil. Miraculously, the little cruse lasted eight days, long enough for new oil to be consecrated and the Temple rededicated to the God of Israel.

Hanukkah is a fun time involving potato latkes (pancakes), menorahs, dreidels, games, songs, plays, and presents. Many churches use Hanukkah parties as educational outreaches. And you can hold a party anytime in November or December. Even making the latkes can be fun. Here’s an excellent recipe:

Peel five potatoes and grate them in a food processor. Squeeze out all the liquid. Then grate a small onion into the potatoes. Mix with two tablespoons of matzoh meal (or flour), two eggs, a teaspoon of salt, and a quarter of a teaspoon of pepper. Fry them like pancakes in vegetable oil, about five minutes per side. One batch makes about five latkes. Serve them with applesauce and/or sour cream.

More about the holiday can be found on the Internet. For tips on how to hold a Hanukkah party at your church or Bible study, email Laura Coleman at The Friends of Israel; and she will send you the information. Her email address is [email protected].

Happy Hanukkah!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Features

Merry Christmas 2008

Gone are the days of Studebakers, five- and-dimes, and the much-anticipated gifts of sweet, juicy oranges stuffed into Christmas stockings. But two important facets of the holiday will remain forever.

The Herald Cometh

Most people are familiar with Luke 2 as the beginning of the Christmas story. But the wondrous account actually begins earlier, with an elderly priest who enters the Temple to burn incense.

The Promise

Have you ever thought of this? If God did not fulfill His promises literally, we would never have Christmas. See for yourself!

The Message and the Maiden

A backwater town called Nazareth. A common Jewish girl called Mary. An angelic messenger called Gabriel. And a promise of God. These all converged to change history for all time in something called the Incarnation.

Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord?

So you don’t believe a virgin can bear a child? You’re not alone. But you should believe it, particularly if you’re Jewish. Read this article and learn why.


Share Your Story.
Has God used The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry in your life? Share your story with us!
 

Subscription Options

1 Year Digital Subscription

  • Free PDF Book Download - "What on Earth is God Doing?" by Renald Showers

  • Free Full-Issue Flipbook & PDF Download of Current Issue

$9.99 every 1 year

1 Year Digital with Archive Access

  • Free PDF Book Download - "What on Earth is God Doing?" by Renald Showers

  • Free Full-Issue Flipbook & PDF Downloads of Current Issue & select Archives

  • Complete Access to our Growing Archives

$19.99 every 1 year

2 Year Digital Subscription

  • Free PDF Book Download - "What on Earth is God Doing?" by Renald Showers

  • Free Full-Issue Flipbook & PDF Download of Current Issue

$19.99 every 2 years

2 Year Digital with Archive Access

  • Free PDF Book Download - "What on Earth is God Doing?" by Renald Showers

  • Free Full-Issue Flipbook & PDF Downloads of Current Issue & select Archives

  • Complete Access to our Growing Archives

$39.99 every 2 years

3 Year Digital Subscription

  • Free PDF Book Download - "What on Earth is God Doing?" by Renald Showers

  • Free Full-Issue Flipbook & PDF Download of Current Issue

$29.99 every 3 years

3 Year Digital with Archive Access

  • Free PDF Book Download - "What on Earth is God Doing?" by Renald Showers

  • Free Full-Issue Flipbook & PDF Downloads of Current Issue & select Archives

  • Complete Access to our Growing Archives

$59.99 every 3 years