The Jewish Student Union (JSU) conducted a meeting about Hanukkah in room 3716 on Dec. 3. Over 50 students attended the meeting.

The meeting aimed to celebrate Hanukkah, which begins at sunset on Dec. 14. Hanukkah is a celebration of light for the Jewish people, marked by lighting candles as a community and spending time with family and friends.

JSU students played Kahoots to test themselves on their knowledge of Hanukkah. Houston JSU Director Rabbi Nati Stern said the difficulty of some of the questions the students were tasked with answering.

“The hardest question in the Kahoot was how many variations of spelling there was for Hanukkah,” Stern said. “Most people got it wrong.”

However, the Kahoot also emphasized the traditional values of Hanukkah. Stern saw connections between the struggles of the Jewish people now and in history, in regards to the traditional Hanukkah story where a small Jewish army reigned victorious, despite significant odds stacked against them.

“Hannukah is about the celebration of our survival throughout the years under challenging circumstances,” Stern said. “We are reconnected by reigniting the flame of our identity, and through this, we are able to spread the light.”

Stern said that to him, Hanukkah is about being thankful for survival, friends and family. It is a Jewish tradition to light the candles and say the prayers with loved ones all eight nights of Hanukkah, as a way to celebrate as a community.

“A big part of spreading the light is having gratitude,” Stern said. “Jewish holidays are always celebrated with food, and it brings together our family to celebrate together, and we try to bring that together in JSU.”

Sophomore Maya Holliday said that since joining JSU she has felt part of a community of people with similar beliefs, though she is not able to celebrate to the same extent she did in middle school.

“It’s honestly different at Bellaire but I went to a private middle school where everyone was Jewish and celebrated Hanukkah,” Holliday said. “Bellaire has a high Jewish population in which I’m able to celebrate, but not to the extent I was able to in middle school. Having this community at school makes me feel very included, despite being able to celebrate to a lesser extent. I enjoy being able to share my Jewish culture with the people of Bellaire.”

Junior and JSU officer Ava Silk said that the joy spread throughout Hanukkah is magical to her. Spending time in JSU and with her family and friends for the holiday helps her to connect to her Jewish roots.

“Hanukkah is a time of celebration in the community,” Silk said. “We spend time celebrating light and miracles.”

To follow JSU’s future events, follow their Instagram @bellaire.jsu or attend their meetings every Wednesday in Room 3716.