Tots Make Oil for Menorah

Cherry Hill, NJ — Preschoolers at Reform synagogue Adath Emanu-El’s Early Childhood Center sat mesmerized Monday morning as Rabbi Yitzchok Kahan told them a Hanukkah story on the third day of the eight-day Festival of Lights.

Kahan, of Chabad Lubavitch of Camden and Burlington Counties, told how the Greeks defiled the ancient temple in Jerusalem more than 2,000 years ago.

When a group of Jewish warriors — the Maccabees — defeated the Greeks, the Israelites had to rid the temple of idols and rededicate it by lighting a candelabra, called a menorah.

There was only enough oil for one day, but the flames burned for eight. That is why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days today.

Although most modern Jews use candles in their special Hanukkah menorahs, called hanukkiahs, others use oil just like their ancestors did.

Kahan helped the tots through the steps in making oil — steps that have been modernized with technology, yet have remained essentially the same for thousands of years.

“Oil comes from olives,” Kahan said. “How do we get the oil from olives?”

Jonah Cohen, 5, of Medford, had an idea: “You squeeze it and mush it out,” he said.

Added his classmate, 5-year-old William Blum of Mount Laurel: “Your hands might get yucky.”

To prevent that, Kahan gave each child latex gloves before they flattened black olives with their palms, removed the pits and placed the olives in a bowl. All the olives ended up in a large pitcher, whose contents were poured into a press by Morgan Wrigley, 4, of Mount Laurel.

Jack Fox, 4, of Lumberton, found a semicircular piece of wood to fit onto the top of the press, then passed Kahan two rectangular blocks that would squeeze the olives further and further into the press.

Jami Fiore, 4, of Moorestown, stood on a chair so she was level with the press handle, then cranked until a liquid began to flow from the bottom of the wooden vat.

“Oil, oil!” the children cried.

Well, not quite.

Kahan held up the dark brown fluid. He poured the liquid into vials and placed them in a centrifuge that would separate the liquid into three layers: juice at the bottom, wax in the middle and the clear oil on top.

When the centrifuge came to a stop, there was enough pure oil to pour into the first three holders on the large hanukkiah Kahan had brought with him. He added cotton wicks and had Lilia McKernan, 4, of Evesham, light three flames using the shamash, or helper candle, made of beeswax while the Hanukkah blessings were recited.

Kahan had more help when the leader of the Maccabees, Judah Maccabee himself, appeared — actually rabbi-in-training Levi Bronchtain wearing armor and carrying a shield emblazoned with the lion of Judah.

During Hanukkah, Kahan said, he visits all the synagogues and Jewish day schools in South Jersey and goes through about 40 pounds of black olives as he presents his workshop to children of all ages.

No matter the age group, the message is the same.

“I want the kids to realize that in Judaism, everything we do is something we can understand and appreciate. When they think about the menorah and the oil, they can connect it to something hands on,” Kahan said.

Morgan Wrigley said her favorite part of the workshop was “helping shmoosh the olives.”

Laurie Purcell, director of Adath Emanu-El’s Early Childhood Center, said it was her goal to provide the ultimate interactive Hanukkah learning experience.

Kahan said he hoped the workshop would help instill a love of the holiday tradition, even in the youngest children.

“The way you plant it, that’s how it’s going to grow,” the rabbi said.