Early
Chanukah Presents
Challenges T
JARRAD SAFFREN | JE STAFF
his year, Chanukah is not exactly
Chanukah; it’s “Chanukah-
giving,” said Diana Pivenshteyn
of Northeast Philadelphia.

Night one of the Festival of Lights is
Nov. 28, Sunday night of Thanksgiving
week. That means Jews in the Greater
Philadelphia area need to prepare for
both holidays at once. It also means that
once they are done celebrating one, they
will start celebrating the other.

“For me, that means everything is
much earlier,” Pivenshteyn said, refer-
ring to her planning process.

The mother of two daughters, ages
6 and 11, began thinking about holiday
shopping before Halloween. Her kids
started mentioning gifts they wanted and
caught her off guard.

“I’m like, ‘Why are you mentioning it
so early?’” Pivenshteyn said.

Pivenshteyn’s daughters attend the
Abrams Hebrew Academy in Yardley,
which is hosting its Thanksgiving and
Chanukah parties at the same time this
year. It’s all just ... confusing, according to
the mother. Mentally, parents are used
to thinking of Chanukah as falling near
Christmas. 14
NOVEMBER 25, 2021
WINTER HOLIDAY MAGAZINE
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM