HanukkahMom has landed!

Well, the presentation at Rachel's preschool this morning went much better than I'd anticipated. For one thing, the pastor wasn't there; just the teachers and A LOT of kids. I brought in freshly baked sufganiyot (which I'd spent until 2 a.m. making, and they turned out pretty well except I didn't pinch the edges of the dough together so most of the jelly fell into the oil, and, really, they're best eaten hot), the construction-paper menorah I'd made that looked kind of like a cross but had the transliteration of the Chanukah prayer on it, our actual menorah that Mom and Dad gave us years ago, and a bunch of dreidels and chocolate gelt for the kids.

I introduced myself as "Mrs. DeSilver," -- first time I've EVER done that -- and told the kids the very basic story of Hanukkah, then read from a book about one family celebrating the holiday -- inviting cousins over, having Grandma light the menorah, putting change into the tzedakah box, etc. Then I sang the Hanukkah song that we sing in Yiddish, ended with "Hip hip hooray for the MACCABEES!" and then it was time to leave.

Teacher Tracy told Drew that this was much better than other ones had gone, and Teacher Erin said she'd always wanted to have a parent come into her class and talk about Hanukkah and she was so glad I'd come. I also found out that one of Rachel's little friends, Tassanee, is Jewish too! (At least, her parents have a menorah). On the way out, Rhonda the recpetionist told us that the sufganiyot she'd tasted reminded her of a pastry her Polish grandmother had made but she could never find a recipe for it anywhere. I'm determined to locate one for her!

I had a wonderfully warm fuzzy feeling on the drive to work. Yes, I wonder if we're doing the right thing raising Rachel so far from the center of all that is Jewish in this country (i.e., New York), but so far she seems to have a very strong Jewish identity -- she's eager to learn the prayers and is open to the happier aspects of being Jewish rather than the suffering. And if I'm called on to be a cultural ambassador more often than I would back East, then fine. There are a bunch of little kids who heard Yiddish spoken for the first time in their lives today. Who knows what that could lead to??

And Rachel loved having me there. She bragged about it to the librarian who came in to tell the kids stories after I left.

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Unfortunately Rachel woke up really early today. When I came home she told me, "Go away. Please go. I'm serious and I'm tired." She perked up soon enough, though, when I made latkes. "Um, yummy!" she said. I still remember when we knew she was ready for real food -- it was in December, when her little hand shot out to try some sour cream after I had made latkes for Hanukkah!

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Drew was reading a book called "Ella visits Israel," to Rachel before bed tonight. When they got to the page about the Wailing Wall, and how people write messages on slips of paper and insert them into the cracks, Rachel said, "Yeah, and I would write, 'Happy Hanukkah, everybody!' on mine!"