The Role of Ritual this Holiday Season

I help with the staging of a large harp concert every December. It's a nice event; the music is excellent, and the women are dressed in gowns such as one doesn't often get to see anymore. There is a potluck party at someone's home afterward, where everyone in the concert and their families are invited.

A couple of years ago, someone brought a grandfather, much advanced in age, to the party. Everyone was polite and said hello to him, but his English wasn't too good, and he was mostly interested in nodding off in a corner of the sofa anyway, apparently content to be forgotten for the time.

Our hosts for the evening were Jewish, and the evening of the party was during Hanukkah. While everyone was standing around chatting with a paper plate in hand, our hosts asked us for a quiet moment while they lit the candles in their menorah. Several people in attendance were Jewish, and even some people who I know are not Jewish knew the Hebrew chant that goes with the lighting of the candles.

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