Chanukah in the Army

Chanukah in the army is definitely no chanukkah with the family. On Tuesday night we got back to the plugah (company) area and were given 30 seconds to make a chet (a hebrew letter with an opening at the bottom and two straight legs with a flat top) in the back of the company area. There set up was a menorah and our mem'mem (PL) waiting. We then light as a group and sang tougehter as a group. However not everyone was so clear on the words and our mem'mem made us all right out the words that night and turn them into our mefakdim.

Then on Wednesday we had a plugah wide candle lighting, on a large menorah they had built that day. We had a large spread of donuts, thanks to our moshakit tash (NCO who ensures we get our rights). So we lit the candles and our whole machlakah had the words already for the songs so our mefakdim were circling us making sure we were singing and loudly and correctly. It was a thing of pride for them that there machlakah was the best there and the loudest.

After that we just lit as a machlakah and sang together. It is nice to break the stress and rigors of the day for 5-6 minutes to sing act a little free, before having to go back to being a piece of crap in basic again. Its great to know for 5 minutes what you are doing in the army. To see the candles and know I am standing in the Israeli army, the one which has once again taken up the torch which has been passed on from king David all the way to us. To know we carry the same torch of the Maccabees's of Chanukah's is a cool thought as well.