Sparks Ignites

  I was raised in a Catholic household, so what did I know from Hannukah? In my elementary school brain, it was the Jewish equivalent of Christmas. I didn’t know about holiday traditions evolving over time. For me, the manger in Bethlehem was decked out with a tree, inflatable Santa decorations, live animals, angels on high, the Three Kings, the seven fishes, and a big piñata. There was inclusiveness in 6 BC. Let the choir sing— Away in a Silent Night Christmas Bells are Ringing Feliz Navidad . I grew up learning about the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, the Virgin Mary, Noah and the Easter Bunny.     I also knew the Ten Commandments and that Moses, with his burning bush, traveled to the Planet of the Apes after he led his people out of slavery. As a child, there weren’t Jewish families in my neighborhood. Esther Appelbaum and Sidney Finegold were in my class but they lived across town. While I was schlepping my way to school every day Esther was dropped off by a Linc...