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DECEMBER 2005Volume 25, No. 05, DECEMBER 14, 2005 FEATURESDomestic violence
Bedrooms Feature
Holiday Features
Features
Domestic violence: everyone has the right to be safeby M. G. In a storybook family, the mother, father, and kids would get along with one another perfectly. But at some time or other, pretty much everyone has been told that fairy tales are not the same as real life. Many times this is said by a parent trying to console a child who has been frightened by the folk tale of a witch or some other scary monster. In this sense, it means something completely different. Parents in real life who don’t get along with each other might become separated or divorced. But a lot of the time, the trouble starts when the parents DON’T get a divorce. The billboards parading black-eyed women, along with hotline numbers for victims of domestic violence. The tee-shirts with slogans like “You can’t beat a West Virginia woman,” again shown with a phone number or a victim’s agency name. It’s a common sight. When people see these advertisements, they must somehow think that since they’re getting the word about domestic violence out, it’s all okay. There are many agencies, there are many hot lines. But many times, the victims don’t want help, either because they are afraid that their partner will find out and get angry, or because they think the problem will go away. Time after time, it doesn’t-most of the time it gets worse. Domestic violence takes many forms. It can be verbal, written, or physical. And though when people think of domestic violence, the picture of a married man and woman comes up, this is certainly not always the case. Partners could be gay or lesbian and have a violent relationship. Though this does not occur as often, a woman could be violent towards her male partner. And people of all ages can be involved in violent relationships, even teenagers. Everyone has the right to be safe, not just adults. Two experts on the subject are Lisa Tieszen, who works with victims of domestic violence and David Adams, who works with those who commit domestic violence (the batterers). In their jobs, they have seen and worked with many different cases and know this crime in and out.
Domestic violence: David Adams speaks about batterersby M. D-P. and M. G. DAYTIME : How do you spell your name? David Adams : David Adams DT : Do you work with victims of domestic violence or those who commit domestic violence (batterers)? LT : I work with those who commit domestic violence. My agency is called Emerge. We provide groups for men who batter. These groups are offered in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Khmer. We also have groups for abusers in same-sex relationships, and groups for teenage boys. DT : How do people get help when they are a victim of domestic violence? LT : Victims can call the police or they can call a program for battered women. They can also ask for help from their doctor or just about any helping professional who will tell them about a program for victims of domestic violence in their local area. They can also call the statewide hotline called SafeLink, which is at 877-785-2020, to find out about all the different programs. There is a program is just about every community in Massachusetts. DT : Can a relative or friend of a victim get help for the victim, even of he/she is not willing? LT : It’s better for the relative or friend to give information about helping programs to the victim, so the victim can decide whether she will go to this program for help. Relatives and friends can be very helpful by encouraging victims to seek help and for continuing to support them, regardless of whatever choices the victims make. DT : What could possibly happen if a victim did not get help? LT : The violence might get worse. In some rare cases, victims are killed by their abusive partners. This could happen even when the victim is seeking help, however. Some victims are killed when they try to leave their abusive partners. It’s better for a victim to seek help from a victims’ advocate, however, since the advocate can help her to create a “safety plan.” This includes all the ways that the victim can make herself and her children more safe. DT : Who is affected by domestic violence? LT : Domestic violence affects everyone in the family. Children who are exposed to domestic violence are more likely to develop developmental, emotional, and behavior problems. However, there are now good programs for children who are exposed to domestic violence. DT : What advice would you give to a student whose parents are in a violent relationship? LT : Maybe the best thing would be to talk to your teacher or to a counselor at school. That person could give advice about how the student could try to keep safe. DT : What can teens who are in a violent relationship do to get help? Are there hotlines or houses like there are for adults? LT : Some schools have groups for teens who are in abusive relationships. There are separate groups for victims and abusers. To find out about their local program, teens can call the statewide hotline called SAFELINK at 877-785-2020. DT : Are there shelters or other forms of help for gay or lesbian partners who are in a violent relationship? LT : Yes. There are programs that help gay and lesbian victims of domestic violence. These programs offer counseling, support, and safe homes where the victim can stay if he or she wants to be away from the abusive partner. The hotline for lesbian and bisexual women is 617-423-7233. The hotline for gay or bisexual men is 800-832-1901. DT : How can people who have committed domestic violence, but who want to change their ways, get help? LT : In Massachusetts, there are 18 counseling programs for men who are abusive to their partners. To find out the closest program, call the Massachusetts Department of Public Health at 617-624-5425.
Domestic violence: Lisa Tieszen speaks about victims/survivorsDAYTIME : How do you spell your name? Lisa Tieszen : Lisa A. Tieszen DT : Do you work with victims of domestic violence or those who commit domestic violence (batterers)? LT : I work with victims, who often prefer to be called survivors. DT : How do people get help when they are a victim of domestic violence? LT : People get help by talking to friends and getting support and resource numbers, by calling their minister or rabbi, or by talking with the police or with their doctor. There are specific domestic violence programs that can be helpful; they can be reached by calling the statewide hotline: 1-877-785-2020. People can get help in many places, even by reading an article in the newspaper or a magazine. DT : Can a relative or friend of a victim get help for the victim, even of he/she is not willing? LT : A relative or friend can listen to a victim and support him/her in considering ways to get safe. The friend or relative can also educate him/herself about the issue and about resources so he/she can be prepared if the victim wants those resources. He/she can also be ready to accompany the victim to the police or someone else who can offer help. DT : What could possibly happen if a victim did not get help? LT : Victims are often considering ways within themselves to get help and to make things better in their relationships. They may survive just fine on their own, or the extreme could happen and they could be killed. DT : Who is affected by domestic violence? LT : Domestic violence can affect everyone around the victim/survivor: the family, friends, congregation, workplace, and community. It can also be a secret that no one knows about. DT : What advice would you give to a student whose parents are in a violent relationship? LT : I would encourage the student to talk with a trusted adult about ways to talk with his/her parents, and to get help. DT : What can teens who are in a violent relationship do to get help? Are there hotlines or houses like there are for adults? LT : All victims/survivors deserve to be safe and to live without violent partners; this includes teens. Teens can call SafeLink, the statewide domestic violence hotline, at 1-877-785-2020. There are not currently any specific domestic violence hotlines for teens. DT : Are there shelters or other forms of help for gay or lesbian partners who are in a violent relationship? LT : Yes, there are programs that deal specifically with gay men and lesbians. The “straight” programs are also increasingly responsive to the needs of gay/lesbian victims. The Network/La Red ( www.thenetworklared.org) is an advocacy and shelter program for lesbians and bisexual women. The Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project is an advocacy and sheltering program for gay men (I believe the website is www.gmdvp.org). The Fenway Community Health Center’s Violence Recovery Program provides counseling and advocacy for both lesbians and gay men who are victims of domestic violence as well as hate crimes and community violence. DT : How can people who have committed domestic violence, but who want to change their ways, get help? LT : They can speak with their doctors, counselors, employers, as well as clergy about this issue and about getting help. The best help can be offered by the certified batterers intervention programs that operate around the state. Emerge ( www.emergedv.org) is one of the three programs throughout the state offering groups for adolescents who batter. The Newton and Brookline Departments of Education also offer adolescent groups in the high schools. Emerge is the only group that works specifically with gay and lesbian batterers.
Pre-cycling, recycling, and pay-as-you-throw• What can be done to reduce the cost of processing trashby J. T. Each year, Americans generate 180 million tons of trash. This includes 28 billion pounds of food waste, 3.5 billion pounds of carpet waste, and 19 billion pounds of packaging peanuts. Less than half of this is recycled. In Newton alone, the recycling goals are rarely met. In the year 2002, Newton citizens threw out 56,192 tons of trash. Only 46% of this was recycled. The city spends $6 million a year to deal with trash and recyclables. Trash is sent to the Wheelabrator Millbury “waste-to-energy” facility. The facility processes up to 1,500 tons of waste to supply 35,000 homes with energy. This reduces the volume of garbage by 90%. The trash management focus in Newton used to be on recycling. Now the focus is on source reduction. This prevents or reduces waste during the production stage instead of after. The waste management fees go down, and harmful materials and chemicals are eliminated. Lastly, precycling reduces use of natural resources. To reduce trash and increase recycling, some communities have adopted a pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) program. Citizens in these communities must pay a certain amount of money based on the amount of trash they throw away. Most are charged for each bag or can of trash they generate, though in some communities it is the weight of the trash that is measured. This renders trash services the same as utilities such as electricity and gas. It is an incentive to recycle and generate less waste. There are some things people can do to waste less and recycle more. Usable goods can be donated to charities. Lunch boxes can be used instead of paper bags, and gift wrap can be reused. When people go shopping, they tend to ignore the packaging and origin of the products. To generate less trash, it is better to get products with minimal packaging from local origins. When the products are purchased, it is also better to put them into a bag of your own, instead of one of the store bags.
Newton Schools Foundation receives granteesby J. T. Recently, the Newton Schools Foundation (NSF) held a reception for all of the members of the NSF board of directors and their grantees. This event took place at the house of one of the members, Patsy Rowe. According to Rowe, the turnout was very good. “We had over 40 grantees, representing 90% of the initiatives we funded last year.” Rowe comments. The group spent much of its time enjoying the refreshments and talking. At one point, everyone gathered around the table and introduced themselves. A brief description of the NSF funded projects by individual grantees followed. This helped both to inform and to remind the board of directors of the impact of the grantees’ projects. There were several purposes for this reception besides summarizing the grantee projects. It was a way to honor and acknowledge the efforts of the school departments to create new school programs. It was also a time for many of the innovators in the system to meet and inspire each other.
DAYTIME’s language featureSlang: the language of the common kidby C. A.-L. Like all things, language never stands still. Slang is changing every day to fit the people who speak it, and what was hip yesterday is dead in the water today. For the past month I have been studying the ever changing state of slang at F. A. Day, and finally it is time to unveil the results. “Yo” is probably the most used greeting among Day students. It has that kind of roll off your tongue quality that has allowed it to survive for a long time. Because of the diversity of the minds making up slang, it is impossible to know where many slang words came from. I, being the eternal Latin Scholar that I am, can think of at least one Latin possibility which is Io (pronounced Yo). Another greeting is “Hey” from “Hello”, though some people just skip the intro. and head straight to “Wuz Up?” Being sick is when you are diseased, or, in slang, being “sick” is when you are feeling really great and something about you is cool. “Cool” is another slang word meaning awesome, or at any rate something very positive. Cool probably originated from “Chill”, which probably comes from the term “Take a chill pill”, which means to just relax and go with the flow. Whenever someone at Day is insulted, it is customary for everyone in the general vicinity of that person to yell “Dis.” That, of course, is a shortened version of “Disrespected”. And the saying that comes from that, which is “Dissed and Dismissed,” might just be alliteration, or might come from the term Schooled (also meaning Dissed), because after a teacher schools you, the bell rings and you are dismissed. A common way to express your disapproval of something is to say that it “Sucks” or “Bites”. A response to that might be “Bummer”, which is in sympathy of the fact that you feel low, which is where your “Bum” is. “Like” is ubiquitous at Day. You cannot get from one class to another without hearing it at least 5 times. It is a multi-functional word, used as a verb, an adjective, an adverb, a noun, and a few categories that are made up on the spot. I’d estimate that in the average Dayer’s sentence, there is 40% of “Like”, and 60% of every other word in the English language. “So I was like ya, and like they were like “whoa” and it was like totally like out of here.” An exaggeration yes, but you get my point. There are lots of intelligent people at F.A. Day. People who can instantly come up with witty responses to almost any insult because they spend all of their time rehearsing possible insults in front of the mirror. But there are others who, how can I put this respectfully, just can’t. So there are a few infinitely variable “Disses” that can be used by anyone in an intellectual dual, the main one being “Your Face.” Let me give an example of its use in a school scenario: Teacher: You know what I find most annoying about you not doing your homework last night? Student: Your face? Class: Diiiiiisssssseeeeeedddddd Or maybe in a job interview: Interviewer: You are one of the most incompetent people on the face of the earth. Interviewee: Your face is one of the most incompetent people on the face of the earth. Class: Diiiiiiissssssseeeeeeeddddddd. Or even in the army: Sergeant: That bomb that you just released is hurtling towards China propelled by the most powerful gas engine ever invented! Private: Your face is propelled by the most powerful gas engine ever invented. Class: Diiiiiisssssseeeeeedddddd. One of my personal favorite slang words is one that went out of style long ago, but which I still heroically use: “Uberspiffy”. “Uber” is from German and it means “More”, or “Greater” and “Spiffy” is just cool. Slang is an ever-changing thing. Two years ago “Wicked” was used profusely, now it has gone to that big dictionary in the sky. “Boss” was used when my mother was in school, and had a meaning similar to”Cool”. But now it, too, has gone, and only lives on in her memory. Even now as I write this I know that by the time THE DAYTIME comes out, this slang will mostly be out of date. But at least now this generation of slang has been documented. We’ll see what happens next.
Learning from experienceTom Luskinby S. S. This “Learning from experience” feature is the 2nd in a series of occasional articles by DAYTIME’s co-editor-in-chief, S. S., focusing on the rich experiences of Newton’s senior citizens. Tom Luskin grew up in the Bronx district of New York, “...in an area which had many poor people.” The area had a heavy Jewish population, and because there was much poverty, most shuls (places of worship) were located in basements. Luskin recalls that he became a Bar Mitzvah at age 13, “...as all good Jewish boys are.” Elementary schools in the Bronx went up to the 8th grade, and Luskin’s had its own orchestra. At age 13, he played violin for it, and says that he was the “concert master.” During one particular rehearsal, Luskin recalled that the conductor got so fed up that he threw his baton at the orchestra. Chuckling, Luskin said that because he was “...such a good student,” he went and told the principal. Fortunately, “...all was forgiven.” Luskin's first violin teacher, Mr. Fiddleholtz, failed to teach Luskin the keys C or D. So when he went to a (music) teaching interview as an adult and was asked to play a tune in the key of C, he had no idea how. At home, Luskin's mother would bake challah (a bread traditionally eaten by Jews on their Sabbath) every Friday, as well as a more special treat: challah dough in a boat shape, which contained mashed potatoes and occasionally onions, covered by chicken fat. Luskin recalls, “There was nothing more delicious than that.” Every Friday, Luskin would also go to the local movie house and pay 10 cents to see a film. “And that was my Friday afternoon.” Luskin grew up in a bilingual household. His father, who had come from Russia to avoid the draft, spoke English; his mother spoke Yiddish. “Very often,” he says, “my mother would talk Yiddish to me, and I would answer in English.” However, more recent attempts to speak Yiddish have failed; “...every other word came out in English,” he chuckled, “Of course, it's been a few years since I spoke Yiddish.” While he “...wasn’t an athlete,” Luskin’s “favorite activity was to…walk all over the Bronx.” He says that “...it was quite safe, even at 2:00 in the morning.” He attended the James Monroe High School, which opened in February 1925. “We were a new school,” he reminisces, “and we were going to be the best at everything.” One of the school’s more famous graduates was baseball player Hank Greenberg, who lived a block away from Luskin. Among the classes Luskin took were geography, history, music and art. Each day, he would walk a block to his house to eat lunch. Then he would go to the local fruit store, buy two apples, and bring lunch to the assistant principals. When Luskin was growing up, doctors would charge one dollar per visit. However, they had no antibiotics. He recalls that his brother would suffer abscesses (infections resulting in the collection of pus) in his throat. “Nobody gets abscesses anymore,” says Luskin, because of antibiotics. Luskin attended the City College in New York, often described as the “...poor man's Harvard.” He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, an honors fraternity. With ambitions of being a teacher, Luskin took many exams and even taught a sample class. He ended up teaching at James Monroe, where he remained for 41 years. After he retired in 1973, he volunteered at the Long Island Jewish Hospital. Luskin now resides in Newtonville with his wife.
December Holiday Gift List 2005Created by Newton Free Librarians: Jean Holmblad and Pam McCuenAdventure/ Mystery
Realistic Fiction
Humorous
Historical Fiction
Short Stories
Fantasy
Horror/ Supernatural
Science Fiction
Biographies & Non-Fiction
Poetry
BEDROOMS FEATUREHow to get your dream room publishedby M. A. Do you fantasize about an amazing room? Would you like to get it published in THE DAYTIME?Drop your submission at Room 204 or place it in THE DAYTIME boxes in the library or the office. Submissions will be considered for publication. In your submission, please include a copy of your dream room, your name, grade, and team. Also, please include a way we can contact you, should your dream room be accepted, to arrange an interview to accompany your picture. Good luck!
Monthly Dream Room Feature: M. R.’s room reflects who she isby M. A. This month, Platinum Teamer M. R.’s dream room was published. M. R. describes her room as having a wide-screen, huge TV, a big couch, and a mini-bar. In her room, wide windows tower to the ceiling. M. R. doesn’t think that her room represents her, but, rather, what she likes and desires in her fantasy room. A very special feature included in M. R.’s ideal room are bright multi-colored walls. The colors on the walls are chaotic. Currently, M. R. shares a room with her sister. There are two bunk beds as well as a dresser. The rug is made up of tiny squares colored with blending shades of green. The walls match the rug with a “robin blue” shade. M. R. likes her room even if it differs from her fantasy room. M. R. doesn’t see a profession as an interior designer in her future, but she is a little interested in the subject. “[I am] kind of [interested in designing rooms]. I’d do it for fun sometimes, but not professionally,” said M. R. It was in Sherry Edwards’ art class where her dream room was created. “I did it in Art,” M. R. said. M. R. has the dream for her room but in her perspective, the possibilities for the room to be a reality are rather bleak. One reason is the expense (partially because of the wide-screen TV). Another thing hampering the creation is the lack of space in her home.
My Dream Roomby A. D. and E. K. Bedrooms, a broad topic. There are so many layouts and themes to choose from. It’s hard to decide which one. Usually a bedroom expresses who you are. There are many different themes and many different types of people. Some people like a lot of pink. Some like a lot of stripes. Many people like posters of favorite bands or places they have been. Others like sports themes, with their favorite team poster hanging on the wall. Many people also like to mix and match things like different colors, patterns, or styles. You can do this to get a little of everything that you like. Some rooms may be just plain messy so that you can’t see the floor. You can also come up with your own cool and unique themes. If you are redoing your room, there is one more fact to consider: siblings. If you share your room with your sibling (or siblings), you should consider that. If you love sports and your sister loves princesses and you share a room, you might want to consider your sister’s ideas before doing a major makeover with sports. Vice versa, if your brother loves sports and you love princesses, you might not want him to do a major make over. So if you are redoing your room, and you share it, unless you plan to split it down the middle, talk to whomever you share your room with! A bedroom is a place which is just for you. D. K., an 8th grader on the Orange Team, says “My bedroom is a place where I can relax.” It is also a place where no one can bother you. H. G., a 6th grader on Platinum Team, says “I wish my room was bigger.” She loves her full-length mirror, though, and would never get rid of it. It is also a place you can go when you are sad, happy, or angry. 7th grader N. C. says that her bedroom is a color-theme room, with blue, green, and purple. She loves her loft above her bed, but hates the color of her bed: “It’s white. I would like purple more. It’s always more fun to have a colorful room ... that tells people more things about you.” If you are looking to redo your room or give it a more interesting look, Pottery Barn Teen may have some answers for you. Especially now that it is holiday season and there will be great sales, think about redoing your room soon. There are many different things, from beauty stations to air hockey tables. They have phones, door curtains, and snowboarding signs. Pottery Barn Teen says the Muffy Bed Cover, which is corduroy with beads on the edges, is pretty popular, for girls, costing from $15 to $89. Pottery Barn Teen says that the Army Camo Print is popular for boys, and costs from $24 to $99. Andrea Chapin Designs says that it really depends on the kid. Everyone has different likes and dislikes. Depending on what a kid likes, a room can have many different accessories. Some favorites are computers with internet access, iPods, and TVs with cable. At Pottery Barn Teen, a whole room makeover, including a cordless phone, a lamp, silk curtains, and bedding would cost around $270. Many people like to change their rooms around once in a while. You can go out and buy materials and make something yourself. If you love baseball, think of using baseballs to make a border somewhere. Andrea Chapin Designs says they did this for a kid and he loved it. You can make tie-dye pillows, door signs, posters-anything you are interested in. Be creative! Other people like to move their furniture, like bed and dressers, around. It may make you feel good waking up in a new place for a few days.Then if you get bored, you can switch your bed and furniture around again! So basically, your bedroom is your choice. Don’t let your friends or parents tell you about what it should look like. You can have many different themes. Just pick the one you like best, because until you redo your room again, you will be talking, laughing, and hanging out in your room-so don’t pick a layout you will want to change next week, or will be embarrassed to have people see it. Pick the one that is most you, not the most popular trend. Be proud of your own room. You will have it for many years ... until you re-do it again!
Hanukkah represents both sacred and secular history and traditionsby L. W. Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and nights, starting on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. This year it starts on Christmas day. History Hanukkah, which means “dedication”, celebrates the myth of the Menorah in the Jerusalem’s Holy Temple lasting for eight days with only one day’s supply of oil after a huge war with the Greeks. Some Jews were afraid of the Greek soldiers and obeyed them, but mostly they were angry and decided to fight back. The fighting began in a village not far from Jerusalem, Modiin. A Greek officer and soldiers assembled the Jewish villagers, asking them to pray to an idol and eat a pig, and other activities forbidden to Jews. The officer asked Mattathias, a Jewish High Priest, to take part in the ceremony. He refused, and another Jew stepped forward and offered to do it instead. Mattathias became outraged. He took out his sword and killed the man, then killed the officer. His five sons and the other villagers then attacked and killed the soldiers. Mattathias’ family went into hiding in the nearby mountains, where many other Jews who wanted to fight the Greeks joined them. They attacked the Greek soldiers whenever they came near. About a year after the rebellion started, Mattathias died. Before his death, he put his son Judah Maccabee in charge of the growing army. After three years of fighting, the Jews defeated the Greek army, despite having fewer men and weapons. Judah Maccabee and his soldiers went to the Holy Temple and were sad that many things were missing or broken, including their golden Menorah. They cleaned and repaired the Temple, and when they were finished, they decided to have a huge dedication ceremony. For the celebration, the Maccabees wanted to light the Menorah. They looked everywhere for oil, and found a small bottle that contained only enough oil to light the Menorah for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days and nights. This gave them enough time to buy new oil to keep the Menorah lit forever. Today Jews celebrate Hanukkah for eight days by lighting candles in a Menorah every night, thus commemorating the eight-day miracle. Traditions Everyone does different things to celebrate Hanukkah. Most Jews light the Menorah, one candle each night, and give and receive gifts, one each night for eight nights. Jews also play with a dreidel, a small four-sided top with a Jewish letter on each side. Some Jews celebrate with foods like latkes and soufganiot, which are jelly donuts without the holes. Menorah On each night of Hanukkah, the Menorah is lit to commemorate a miracle, which supposedly occurred after the Jews proclaimed victory over the Syrian armies in 165 B.C. When Jews came to rededicate the Temple—which had been destroyed by the Syrians—they found only one small flask of oil with which to light the Menorah. This bottle contained only enough oil for one day, yet the lamp burned for eight days by which time a fresh supply of oil was obtained. On the first night of Hanukkah, one candle is lit. On each night following a candle is added until the eighth night, when all the lights are lit. The addition of light recalls the greatness and growth of the miracle. Candles are placed in the Menorah from right to left, but lit from left to right. The highest candle, known as the Shamash or "servant," is used to light the other candles. Blessings are recited each night before the candles are lit. Dreidels The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter inscribed on each side. In America the letters stand for "A Great Miracle Happened There." In Israel the letters mean "A Miracle Happened Here". Each player receives a given number of coins or candy pieces. Before spinning the dreidel, each player puts a proportion of the amount received into the "kupah" or kitty. Each player in turn spins the dreidel. When the dreidel falls, it will fall on one of the 4 letters. According to the letter, the following will happen: Nun: no win or lose turn is over Gimmel: take all from the kitty Heh: take half from the kitty Peh or Shin: lose what you deposited. The game continues until players have run out of “funds” or it is agreed to stop (anyone losing all funds is out of the game). The most popular themes throughout the Hanukkah dishes are the use of oil. The oil reminds us of the oil, that burned eight days instead of one. Latkes Latkes are potato pancakes made from grated potatoes mixed with eggs, onions, and flour, then fried in vegetable oil. The texture is crispy on the outside and tender within. They’re served hot and often dipped in applesauce or sour cream. The Maccabee soldiers ate latkes made from cheese, vegetables, or fruits, which were brought to them on the battlefields. However, they didn’t eat potato latkes, as potatoes weren’t available until the 16th century. Sufganiyot Sufganiyot are jelly doughnuts without the hole. They’re dropped into hot oil without being shaped and come out in odd, funny shapes, then covered in powdered sugar and/or cinnamon. Sufganiyot are particularly popular in Israel, where they are sold on stands in the streets over a month before Hanukkah begins.
Kwanzaa has its roots in tradition, not religionby M. A. Kwanzaa is a festive holiday, but unlike many of the season’s holidays it is non-religious. The holiday is celebrated from December the 26th through January the 1st. It is a time where African-Americans reflect on their ancestors and culture. On each of the seven nights, one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa is reflected upon and discussed. The principles are unity, self determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. Kwanzaa was created by Dr. Mulana Karenga in 1966. He was a professor at Black Studies at California State. After witnessing the horrible Watts riots in Los Angeles, he wanted to bring the African-American community together in a unified community. Kwanzaa is a holiday culled from various harvest celebrations. The word Kwanzaa originated from the Shawili phrase “mutinied ta kwanza” meaning “the first fruits.” Kwanzaa festivities typically include singing, dancing, drums, story-telling, poetry, and large family meals. On each of the seven nights, a child in the family lights one of seven candles. Then the family proceeds to converse about the night’s principle.
Apart from its sacred origins, Christmas has its roots in historyby M. A. Christmas’s origins dates back for thousands of years. Its history traces into many different cultures and holidays. Christmas is a holiday that originated from many different cultures’ celebrations of the Winter Solstice. Some of its origins can be traced back to birthdays of Roman gods. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year. It falls on December the 21st, which marks the beginning of winter. The day is naturally engulfed by darkness. Pagans believed that leading up to the solstice, the sun was weakening. Festivities following the solstice celebrated the sun’s regaining of its strength. The Norse people of Scandinavia celebrated the Yule, which was the week leading up to December the 21st and continuing through January. The focus of the celebration was the same for them as for the pagans: the return of the sun’s light. Fathers and sons would collect gigantic logs to burn for the duration of their feast. While the log burned, food and drink were abundant. Feasting continued until the log burned out. This could take a total of 12 days! The Norse people thought that each flame or spark produced by the burning log represented the birth of a calf or pig in the coming year. The Romans had a holiday similar to the Norse’s Yule which they dubbed “Saturnalia”. It was in celebration of Saturn, the god of agriculture. It began the week before the Winter Solstice. Food and drink were plentiful. Along with feasting, during this celebration, there was a reversal of traditional class roles. The servants basked in the luxuries typically enjoyed by their masters as the masters assumed the role of servants. Many Roman gods share the birthday of the Christian Messiah, Jesus Christ. The birthdays of Attis, Thor, and Mirtha were all celebrated on December the 25th. Mirtha’s life bore striking similarities to the Biblical descriptions of Jesus’s life. Mirtha was supposedly born of a virgin and the birth was attended by shepherds and magi as in the Christmas story. According to the Bible, Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Mirtha allegedly performed this miracle, too. Mirtha, similar to Jesus, also returned to heaven after sharing a supper with 12 disciples. December the 25th was not always the celebration of Jesus’s birth. Actually, Jesus’s birth wasn’t even honored by Christians until 300 years after his actual birth. Some churches celebrated it in the spring. The Bible never designates a specific date. Pope Julius I chose December the 25th and, as a result, the Christmas festivities coincides with other cultures’ celebrations. Along with the history of Christmas, the legend of Santa Claus dates back many years, to 280 A.D. in Turkey, where Saint Nicholas was living. Nicholas was a monk. He was known for his immense generosity and kindness. A legend tells how he gave away all his inherited riches and assisted the poor, needy, and ill. He was distinguished as the protector of the children. A feast in his honor occurs on December the 6th, commemorating the date of his death. Though Christmas is a popular holiday in America today, in 1600 colonial america’s festivities in honor of Christmas were banned! The Puritans who settled in the Boston area in the 1600s banned Christmas. Anyone who was found to be celebrating on this day would be fined 5 shillings. A child who was absent from school on December the 25th was to be expelled. A employee not at work would be fired. The Puritans disapproved of Christmas for several reasons. One was that Christmas celebrations were similar to the those promoted by the Church of England. They left England for freedom from this church. Another reason was that festivities on Christmas included playing games and drinking which the Puritans looked down upon. Lastly, the Puritans thought that Christmas lacked a spiritual foundation. This ban began in the 1650s and lasted a mere 22 years. Yet, until the 1800s celebrations on Christmas were quite distasteful. The arrival of many Irish immigrants popularized the celebration of Christmas.
New Year’s Eveby A. H. New Year’s Eve is the beginning of a new year, the end of an old, and an important marking point in time. A regular tradition is to make a new year’s resolution, or to make a toast. It’s a way to start over, brush away the past with a clatter of pots and pans, and fizzing glasses. In many homes on New Year’s Eve, people are watching the ball drop in Times Square. The glittering ball starts to drop at 11:59, and reaches the ground at midnight. It has 70 feet to drop altogether, all in 60 seconds. This tradition started in 1907, after firecrackers were outlawed in New York. Everybody loves to eat on New Year’s Eve, but there are several foods that are considered lucky to begin the new year. In America, black-eyed peas are commonly consumed, often with hog or some kind of meat. The meat represents prosperity, as does cabbage because its wide leaves represent paper money. In some regions, rice is also considered lucky. Also, any food shaped like a ring is supposed to bring good luck, to represent completing a year’s cycle. That is why the Dutch eat donuts on their New Year. New Year’s Eve was first celebrated in Babylon, about 4,000 years ago. In 2,000 B.C., the Babylonian New Year began with the first full moon after the beginning of Spring. The celebration would last for 11 days, with different festivities every day. The Romans had their new year in late March every year, but their calendar year was out of sync with the sun. To set the calendar back on track, in 153 B.C. the Roman Senate declared that new years would be on January 1st. In 46 BC, Julius Caesar made the “Julian calendar.” Though January 1st was still New Year’s day, he had to make one year last 445 days in order to synchronize once again with the sun. The symbol of a baby for the new year dates back to 600 B.C. in Greece, where they celebrated the god of wine, Dionysus, by parading around a baby. Even though the Christians believed that this was practicing paganism, they soon used the baby to symbolize the birth of baby Jesus. No matter what one’s religion or background, everyone can celebrate New Year’s Eve. It’s a celebration of change, for good and bad. But it’s also a great time to celebrate with one’s family, and have a good time.
Holiday RecipesHoliday Hot Chocolate Materials 1. milk 2. Ghirardelli hot chocolate mix 3. mini-marshmallows or chocolate shavings Steps 1. take three tablespoons of cocoa mix and put in a mug 2. microwave one cup of milk for one minute and thirty seconds 3. pour the warm milk in to the mug with the cocoa mix 4. stir the ingredients well until fully mixed 5. add mini-marshmallows, chocolate shavings, or whipped cream 6. enjoy! Note-you can find the Ghirardelli hot chocolate mix at Trader Joe's Potato Latkes Materials 1. four starchy potatoes, Idaho or Yukon Gold, coarsely grated 2. one large onion, coarsely grated 3. two eggs, lightly beaten 4. two tablespoons of flour Soak potatoes in cold water for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain well, and then press dry in a clean towel. Mix with onions, then stir in flour and eggs. Heat flavorless vegetable oil about one fourth of an inch deep in a large skillet over medium high heat until very hot. Drop one fourth cupful of potato mixture into pan, and flatten to about 3/8 thick with a spatula. Fry two/three minutes per side until crispy around the edges and golden brown. Salt well. Serve with sour cream and applesauce. For a whole meal try with chicken sausage patties and a cucumber salad. Serves four. [Adapted from The New Basics cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, New York : Workman 1989] Chocolate Banana Strawberry Dip Materials 1. one tablespoon of butter 2. three tablespoons of heavy cream 3. two bananas 4. ten strawberries 5. three fourths of a cup of chocolate chips 6. one mixing bowl 7. one saucepan 8. one skewer Steps 1. melt chocolate in a bowl placed over a saucepan of hot water with butter until melted 2. add heavy cream and mix 3. skewer cut-up fruit, then dip into the mix 4. place wax paper on a plate, then put the finished fruit on the plate to cool off until hardened
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