Jewish Chanukah service and details about Judaism?

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your_rad

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I had to attend a service at a reform synagogue and now am writing a paper on it. I remember when we all had to turn to the door for something that had to do with a bride? If you could tell me the name of this or explain what we did that'd be great. Also if you want to include any other details about the usual chanukah service or details about Judaism feel free to also incase i forgot anything in my paper
thanks!
 
It was not a Hanukkah service, as there is no service for Hanukkah. Hanukkah is not a Torah mandated holiday and therefor there is no service for it. Since Hanukkah is an 8 days holiday - it always falls on a Friday as well.

I think you were at a Friday Night Service. Shabbat is the Bride - every Friday evening in the synagogue we asher in Shabbat the Bride (Shabbat is the seventh day, which is holly and it starts at sunset the day before - Friday evening).
 
Hanukkah is not a very important religious holiday. The holiday's religious significance is far less than that of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, and Shavu'ot.

It is a time of celebration over the defeat of Antiochus by the Maccabees. According to tradition as recorded in the Talmud, at the time of the rededication, there was very little oil left that had not been defiled by the Greeks. Oil was needed for the menorah (candelabrum) in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout the night every night. There was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle. Note that the holiday commemorates the miracle of the oil, not the military victory: Jews do not glorify war. It is the celebration of the miraculous! The discovery of the oil in the desecrated Temple and the oil intended for 1 day's use lasted 8 days!

The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah or Hanukiah, one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. The typical Menorah consists of 8 branches with an additional raised branch.

Hanukkah is celebrated by a series of rituals that are performed every day throughout the 8-day holiday, some are family-based and others communal. There are special additions to the daily prayer service, and a section is added to the blessing after meals. Hanukkah is not a "Sabbath-like" holiday, and there is no obligation to refrain from activities that are forbidden on the Sabbath, as specified in the Shulkhan Arukh. Adherents go to work as usual, but may leave early in order to be home to kindle the lights at nightfall. There is no religious reason for schools to be closed, although, in Israel, schools close from the second day for the whole week of Hanukkah. Many families exchange gifts each night, and fried foods are eaten. My favorite is latkes with applesauce.
The latkes are served as an appetizer, as a side dish, and even for tea with a sprinkling of confectioners' sugar. They can be marvelous if properly prepared, just before eating.latkes
2 lbs (1 kg) potatoes
2 large eggs
Salt
Oil for frying
Peel and finely grate the potatoes. Put them straight into cold water, then drain and squeeze them as dry as you can by pressing them with your hands in a colander. This is to remove the starchy liquid, which could make the latkes soggy
Beat the eggs lightly with salt, add to the potatoes, and stir well. Film the bottom of a frying pan with oil and heat. Take serving-spoonfuls, or as much as 1/4 cup (50 ml), of the mixture and drop into the hot oil. Flatten a little, and lower the heat so that the fritters cook through evenly. When one side is brown, turn over and brown the other.
Lift out and serve very hot.

In Christ, gatita

Apostolic Believer In One God, Jesus
 
Aravah, and Sheynein have given correct information. I think that the web site Aravah has given will be a good reference.
You attended a Shabbat from your description. Since Chanukah is a festival lasting 8 nights, there is always one Shabbat service during the festival. There is no special synagogue service for Chanukah since it is not a Torah holiday.
Below I've listed a couple of other good reference sources.
note: It isn't an uncommon (though unfortunate abuse of Y/A) event to see all correct or well referenced direct answers regarding anything to do with Judaism given many thumbs downs in attempt to hide the information. sigh.
 
What you are asking about is the Kabbalat Shabbat, or "Welcoming the Sabbath" section of the Friday night service. It was introduced by the late-medieval Kabbalists, who invited us to think about the Sabbath as a holy and beautiful experience, which we should greet with reverence and joy, the way one would greet a bride on her wedding day. So when we get to that part of the Sabbath Eve service, we sing a hymn called "Lecha Dodi" (Come My Beloved, let us go out to greet the Sabbath, the Bride). And as we sing, we turn toward the door in greeting.

There is no "usual Hanukkah service"; Hanukkah is a minor festival celebrated at home. Candles are lit and blessed, that's all there is to the ritual.

Aravah offered you good links, I encourage you to check them out. www.jewfaq.com is a reliable, authoritative source of information on Judaism.
 
http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday7.htm

http://www.jewfaq.org/shabbat.htm


that's a good website that should give you the basics that you need.
 
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