Growing up with a Jewish father and Catholic mother, I was exposed to many religious traditions and holidays. With Hanukkah right around the corner, I thought to look and see what resources the Library might have.

As a child, I remember loving Hanukkah (I still do!). Many kids in school used to tease me because I got "eight days of presents AND Christmas presents," when that wasn't the case at all. I loved Hanukkah not for the gifts, but for the light and the beauty that I felt the candles, menorah, and stories brought to my home. I would sometimes fall asleep watching the candles as they burned slowly - fond memories I have from my childhood. As I was looking through the Library's collection of Hanukkah related sources, I noticed a great deal of stained glass art pieces depicting menorahs. These pieces pay homage to the stories of the Jewish people, their struggles, and is a reminder of the beauty in faith.

Representation is so important to acknowledge in classrooms today. Teaching Jewish history can oftentimes lead to hard and difficult discussions surrounding anti-Semitism and bigotry, but this holiday season let's bring some light into our lessons and classrooms!