A message from a Latke.
Here I am, sizzling in a pan, a fresh relic of a distant past. A time when the few Maccabee soldiers fought a courageous battle and overcame the oppressive Greek empire. If my memory serves me right, the energized victors returned to the Holy Temple only to find it in shambles. The Greeks had desecrated it, leaving it a mess.
After operation cleanup, with everything shining like new, they were ready to light the Menorah, but there was no oil. Or was there? We are told that the Greeks merely broke the seal of High Priest, leaving the jars full but useless. After operation search and rescue, they found a single flask enough to last one day, but a great miracle occurred and it burned for eight days straight.
That's where I come into play. Latkes are fried in oil, (so are jelly donuts, but Jelly wasn't available for comment). So you are probably wondering why oil plays such a central roll in the Chanukah story...
Here are two of my oily morning thought (sorry, I had to...):
Oil stays afloat (just ask BP or Exxon). You can throw it into water, coke, or coffee, and it will rise to the top. Very Chanukah. Don't get stuck in the mud; rise to the top and shine away the darkness.
• Oil gets everywhere. Try and get that out of your couch cushions.
Very Chanukah. When you have values that you stand for, and the Maccabees did, don't just leave it in one area or moment of your life. Let it permeate and spread to every aspect of your life, infusing your day with energy, passion, and light.
Happy Latke!
Sunday night is the big Latke showdown, with four teams competing, and an amazing judges panel waiting to choose Petaluma's tastiest Latke. Hop on board the Latke train for some mouth-oiling fun, and help choose the People's Choice Latke award.
