One of our fondest memories of Chanukah was over 40 years ago. Our young daughters, Linda and Jill, were attending Sunday school at Congregation Ner Tamid in San Francisco. We decided to enter the Chanukah home-decorating contest.
We put Bartons’ dreidel-shaped candy boxes on our light fixtures in the living room. A small table, with two chairs, was set with a menorah and plates of potato pancakes for our two doll guests. A stuffed dog stood by to observe. On the coffee table tiny pennies were scattered.
Six storybook dolls had babushkas on their heads and were dancing, wearing dresses of blue crepe paper made by the girls and Grandma Sadie. Other dolls sat down, playing with a dreidel. When the contest judges came, the phonograph played “Chanukah Oh Chanukah.”
We went to services to find out the winners. At last, after third and second places were announced, first place went to the Sherwin family. Our children were given the book “Next Year in Jerusalem.”
That week we read about a nationwide Chanukah photo contest in the Jewish Bulletin. Rube submitted pictures of our decorations. He received a Kiddush cup with his name engraved on it and a letter from Rabbi Maurice Eisendrath of New York. What a memorable Chanukah.