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



“It’s definitely an inconvenience,”
Pivenshteyn said.

Adding to the inconvenience is that
Chanukah starts at the end of Thanksgiving
week, and then runs through Dec. 6.

In early December, parent work sched-
ules are not yet in holiday/end-of-the-year
mode. They are still normal, according to
Charles Schnur of Center City.

Schnur is the director of student
conduct at Delaware County Community
College. His wife is an adjunct instructor
there. Their semester doesn’t end until
mid-December. So, during Chanukah,
they will be focusing on closing out the
term. The parents of a 5-month-old son
will still find time to light the candles
and give him presents. But unlike most
years, they probably won’t be able to
attend candle-lightings and other public
Chanukah events.

“It depends what night of the week,
how late, how busy and whether we want
to schlep the child out,” Schnur said.

The nationwide supply chain delays
Charles Schnur and his family
Courtesy of Charles Schnur
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NOVEMBER 25, 2021
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