It was 423 B.C.E. The Jews were just living their life. Then, this shmuck named Haman (booo) rose to power.
Haman (booo) was bad to the Jews and decided that he would kill them. He also decided that he would hang Mordechai the Jew because Mordechai wouldn’t bow to him.
Haman (booo) was excited because he assumed his plan would work. He was just hanging out, until the figurative became literal. Soon enough, Haman (booo) was hanging on a tree where he would later die.
Haman’s (booo) decree was overruled and the Jews were saved! It was a miracle from Hashem and we celebrate this as a holiday every year on the 14th of Adar.
Fast forward a little over 200 years later, when the Greeks were controlling the Jews. They forbade them from performing their rituals.
Then, Hashem saved them. They beat the Greeks in a war even when the Greeks had more soldiers.
Afterward, the Jews went to their house of sanctity, the Beit Hamikdash. It was a mess.
All they could find was one small jug of oil. Only enough to last one night… yet it lasted eight nights.
Huh, this Hashem seems pretty legendary. Once again, we celebrate the miracles by celebrating a holiday: it’s eight days long and called “Chanukah.”
Some things that both Purim and Chanukah have in common are that they both are stories that don’t come from the Torah. You are allowed to do Melacha on both holidays.
Lastly, both holidays celebrate a positive miracle that Hashem did for us.
The most common traditions for Purim are to eat Hamentashen and to dress up and fulfill the 4 big Purim mitzvot: Megillah, Mishloach Manot, Matanot Laevyonim, Mishteh.
On Chanukah, people like to celebrate the holiday by eating latkes, gelt, sufganiyot, by spinning the dreidel, and of course, by lighting the chanukiyah.
At TABC, we have our own special traditions. During the month of Adar, students storm around the classrooms and even go around to Maayanot. (Do I have to explain that pun to you?)
People are always dressed up and really get into the spirit, out of excitement for Purim. It’s also the time of year when we had our last Color War (wink wink).
On the other hand, TABC plays dodgeball and has a chagigah on Chanukah. We also serve lots of sufganiyot, and the student council runs an auction to celebrate the holiday.
TABC celebrates both of these holidays with many fun programs to get everyone into the spirit of the holidays. While I am sure everyone enjoys both holidays, which is more popular?
I decided to interview some people at school to find out.
Rabbi Raphi Mandelstam said he prefers Chanukah. “The time of year simply needs a holiday of light,” he said. “It’s cold and dark and there’s something so illuminating and reinvigorating about the nér Chanukah.”
“We display our Judaism so publicly, which really makes me feel so proud to be a yid,” he added.
When asked about his favorite traditions, he stated, “Assuming a good chazzan and good minyan participation, I really get into a good Chanukah Hallel.”
Rabbi Yakov Grun also preferred Chanukah. He related what his family does for the holiday: “We sit where we can look at the candles. The experience, sitting around, we try to make it very felt that it is Chanukah.”
“While not everybody has this opportunity, in my house, Baruch Hashem, we take a few minutes to light and be by the lights,” Grun added. “It makes what could be a 2-minute mitzvah into an hour and a half long mitzvah.”
Chanukah seems to be very popular among the Rebbeim, but what about Purim? Rabbi Grun says he really loves Purim, too: “There is a whole day filled with Purim. There is not just one focal moment. It fills the whole day." This contrasts Chanukah, which is solely about the candle lighting.
Rabbi Grun says that his favorite Purim traditions are the Megillah and Seudah. “I love Megillah reading. Just listening to the Megillah twice is...unbelievable.”
“I find the Purim Seudah very special if you are with a crowd that is really trying to capture the spiritual opportunity,” he added.
When asked about traditions regarding Mishloach Manot, he remarked, “We try to theme our Mishloach Manot. Last year, when Purim fell out on a Friday we gave out Shabbos food.”
I took a poll among the students to see which holiday they felt was more popular. Out of the 68 responses, 32 people preferred Purim. A bare majority of 36 preferred Chanukah.
Personally, I prefer Purim. I love being creative with my Misloach Manot. I also enjoy making Graman, which are fun ways of poking fun at your family. I sing these at the Seudah and it puts everyone in a joyful mood.
Chanukah and Purim seem both to be loved very much. Both of these chagim have their own meanings and traditions and therefore I would say are both awesome, in their own ways.