301 jo /vt, jo 11 w ^
w v^j ^
es6x 'si jacivus/iotsi ' a<s\>v>(^IhlMMIIHMHiliMMillHIiiHliMBIIIliilillliiaMMMHilillliliMIHHIilliliHIHIilliiMBiHMlMMHMtfWIlHiM^MMHMIHiMiiiMHHIillllfHMIflltfM^^
Hanukkah cefebration begins soon
by Ray Walker
Battalion reporter
First there was darkness, then
there was light —that's the idea
behind the Jewish Festival of
Lights — known as Hanukkah.
An oil lamp that miraculously
stayed lit for eight days in an
ancient Jewish temple provides
the basis for the eight-day celeb
ration of Hanukkah.
The celebration, occurring in
December, is often mistaken as
being the Jewish equivalent to
Christmas.
“Hanukkah is not a Jewish
Christmas," Rabbi Peter Everett
Tarlow said. “It is not even one
of our biggest celebrations."
Hanukkah, meaning (fest of)
"dedication," is a celebration of
the rededication of the Jewish
temple in the Seleucide king
dom (164 b.c.).
The Jews, who had remained
faithful to their one God, were
forced by the Greek Assyrians to
abandon their religion and glor
ify Zeus. The Assyrians, who
believed only those who fol
lowed their beliefs were their
equals, ransacked the Jewish
temple and converted it into a
fort.
Maccabee of the tribe of
Judah, fighting for the right to be
equal and for the right to be dif
ferent, led a Jewish army and
conquered the Assyrians. The
temple then was rededicated.
Legends say that when the
Jews entered the temple after
winning the battle, they found
the Ner Tamid still was lit. The
Ner Tamid was an oil lamp that
hung above the arc in which the
holy scriptures were kept. It was
used as an eternal flame repre
senting God's truth. The Greeks
had emptied out all but one
small container of oil — only
enough to last one day. If the
flame had gone out, it would be
symbolic of losing God's truth.
The Jews began to make oil for
the lamp knowing it would take
them eight days. On the eighth
day, the oil was ready and the
flame was still burning.
"A little bit of light can cure a
lot of darkness," Tarlow said.
"Light symbolizing individual
ity and national freedom, dark
ness symbolizing dictatorship
and tyranny."
This year Hanukkah begins
on Dec. 1 and will last through
Dec. 8.
Each day during Hanukkah,
one candle on the menorah, a
candelabrum with nine bran
ches, is lit. Eight of the candles
symbolize the eight days and
the ninth candle symbolizes
God's truth.
"The big deal in Hanukkah is
lighting the candles," said Judi
Vinderman, a Jewish medical
student, said.
The eight days are centered
around children.
The first night three prayers
are taught to the children and
two prayers are taught to them
each day following.
"The entire Jewish religion is
centered around educating the
children,” Keith Newman, a
Jewish medical student, said.
"That's why the Jewish people
have always been literate."
The children play a game cal
led dreidel. It is a netting game
played for candy or match
StiCKS.
"Fried foods are usually pre
pared during Hanukkah," Tar
low said. "The oil symbolizes
the oil in the lamp."
Latkes, a potato pancake, cus
tomarily are cooked during
Hanukkah.
Throughout the eight days
the children receive gifts.
"The gifts used to consist of
candy and nuts," Tarlow said.
"Now it has become commer
cialized and the children actual
ly receive gifts."
Commercialization has hit
Hanukkah much as it has hit
Christmas. Santa Claus isn't
part of the Christmas story.
Likewise, Harry Hanukkah,
similar to Santa, and the Hanuk
kah bush, the Jewish equivalent
to a Christmas tree, are not the
ideas of the Jewish faith.
"That's all Madison Avenue
stuff," Newman said.
Dinners feature medieval theme
by Nicole Williams
Battalion reporter
Imagine yourself in Medieval
England during the wintry De
cember days leading up to
Christmas.
The season is filled with par
ties celebrating this festive time
of year, and you have been in
vited to a dinner at the manor
neighboring yours.
You accept the invitation and
come well-dressed, greeted by
the doorman and introduced to
the other lords and ladies in
attendance.
As you enter the long gallery,
you are taunted by laughing jes
ters, amused by talented magi
cians and mimes, and enter
tained by strolling minstrels.
Soon dinner will be
announced and guests will be
seated for an evening of good
food, good friends and good en
tertainment.
But wait, this is not the 15th
century but the 20th century.
And this is not Medieval Eng
land but College Station, Texas.
Even at Texas A&M it is possi
ble to get a hint of 15th century
Europe preparing for Christ
mas. The MSC Madrigal Din
ners provide just that.
Madrigal Dinner perform
ances offer entertainment re
miniscent of Renaissance
Europe during Christmastide
and have brought a little bit of
medieval Christmas to Aggie-
land for three years.
Similar to a dinner theater, the
performance is continuous
MSC Outdoor Recreation Committee
Equipment Rental (At the Grove)
RENTAL PRICES Weekend Week
Tents:
5-6 Man
4 Man
2 Man - Mountain Tents
2 Man - Pup Tents
Backpacks
Sleeping Bags
Boats:
Canoes
Kayaks
Stoves:.
Backpacking
Coleman 2 - burner
$ 15.00
10.00
6.00
5.00
5.00
5.00
25.00
20.00
3.00
4.00
$37.50
Small
1.50
3.75
25.00
Lanterns
4.00
10.00
15.00
Ice Chests
4.00
10.00
12.50
Fuel Bottles w/ Fuel
5.00
2.50
12.50
Ensolite Pads
1.00
2.50
12.50
Panchos
1.00
2.50
Folding Saws
1.00
2.50
62.50
Shovel and Pick
1.00
2.50
50.00
Water Bottles
.50
1.25
Utensil Sets
.50
1.25
8.00
Sierra Cups
.50
1.25
10.00
Compasses
1.00
2.50
Pentax K1000 w/ 50 mm lens
2.00
10.00
7.50
Pentax K1000 w/ 50 and 135 mm
3.00
10.00
YURIKA FOODS
Yurika Foods are now available for purchase at the Grove.
Come try out these ready made meals that need no refrigea-
tion are ready in 5 minutes and taste delicious.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 845-4511 during working hour*
HOURS: MONDAY 12-6 TUESDAY 3-6 THURSDAY 3-6 FRIDAY 12-6
Cameras available through the MSC Camera Committee. For information call Wayne Helton at 845-1631
throughout the multi-course
dinner. Minstrels, instrumental
ists and jesters entertain the au
dience and try to get them to
participate.
The program is named for the
madrigals, who are the lords
and ladies who sat at the head
table and were entertained by
the various performers during
their holiday meals.
The audience is invited to par
ticipate during the evening by
following the various customs
typical of the time period. A
favorite custom is placing the
napkin over the shoulder in
stead of on the lap.
The evening is organized and
produced by a 60-member com
mittee made up of students and
community residents. About 45
members make up the cast and
the other 15 are crew members.
The committee is responsible
for recruiting all of the perfor
mers, including minstrels, mad
rigals, jesters, jugglers, magi
cians and mimes.
The committee also is respon
sible for the costumes, all of
which are custom-made. The
costumes resemble clothing
worn during that time period
and are very expensive to make.
Annette Richardson, chair
man of Madrigal Dinners, says
some costumes are left from the
previous two years, but they're
expanding their collection be
cause more people are joining
the committee.
She says a lot of the people
who participate are involved in
the vocal music groups on
campus.
Richardson, a member of the
Women's Chorus, will perform
as a minstrel. She says she be
came involved because of the
unique cultural experience it
offers.
77ie theme for this
year's progam is "An
In terna tional Christ-
mas" with Italy,
Spain, Germany, Po
land and England
represented in the va
rious musical selec
tions performed —
some in their native
tongue.
The theme for this year's
progam is "An International
Christmas" with Italy, Spain,
Germany, Poland and England
represented in the various
musical selections performed —
some in their native tongue.
Instrumentalists will play
flutes, piccolos, mandolins,
violins, violas, recorders and
lutes.
Besides the musical selections
unfamiliar to most people, some
classic Christmas selections
such as "Hark! The Herald
Angels Sing" and "O Come All
Ye Faithful" will be included.
At the end of the evening,
cast, crew and audience all sing
together Franz Gruber's famous
"Silent Night."
The Madrigal Dinners will be
in the MSC Ballroom Dec. 1,2,3,
8, 9 and 10.
Tickets are $13.50 for students
and $16.50 for non-students and
can be purchased at the MSC
Box Office.