The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-01

during the week of Chanukah they relax
sufficiently to allow and participate in a
game whose stakes are nuts or apples or
candies.
This game is played with top, whitfield
to four plane sides. on each of which is
lettered Hebrew character. The top is
set spinning on the table by each per-
side marked "Nun''-''N." signifying
nothing" the player loses his turn; if
upon 'Gimel"-''G." signifying give"
the player puts one nut or other valuable
agreed upon in the pot" on the table.
"Aleph." or "a. signifies take ali there
is" The fourth letter, I'll" signifies
''haf the pool"
hesitate to criticise game of presum.
able antiquity, but it seems to me that if
each player were required to "ante" one
chip before spinning the top the pot might
stand better chance OF becoming worth
while.
However. the game is capable of infinite
notifications.
Jews were formerly in the habit of CIV
ing Christmas presents much more than
now, and even of having trees decked in
the usual manner, but the thinking Jews
have frowned upon the use of the tree in
their homes as an unwise concession to
Christianity, while admitting that the
Christmas tree is of rather heather than
has been greater strictness in this respect
and really, Chanukah seems TO do about
as we'll. The only trouble with il is that
it hobs about so, turning up one year early
in December and the next holding Oil to
the very end. This is due to peculiarly
in the Jewish calendar. The ordinary
Jewish year is only 354 days long, but
every leap year has an extra month thir-
teen not being at all an unlucky number
to the Jewish mind, and these leap years
occur seven times IN cycle of nineteen
wears so that all the .easts and fasts vary
nearly month according to the Christian
calendar.
Chanukah vas celebrated in many Of
the Jewish synagocues this year on De-
cemher Is, which, being the Christian
Sunday. was secular to the Jews, and
hence both convenient and appropriate
for merrvmakinc on large scale. A
Chanukah celebration in ore of the big
synagogues was not unlike the Christmas
festivities of the old-fashioned churches in
spirit. minus the Christmas tree only.
II Chanukah conforms to the home hol-
iday of Christmas, Purim. or the Feast of
Lots, ia best known TO the Gentlles as
illustrating Jewish merrvmaking in pub
lie. The big Purim ball at the Metropoli-
tan will not occur in February, but a re-
ception at Delmonico's will yield as much
for charity. The Purim bali is one of the
big society events in New York and all
other cities where the Jews have gained a
foothod. That ia for the wealthy Jews
Atthe same festival the poorer East Side
Israelites make merry with masking
and mummery and the representation OF
scenes from the history OF the chosen
people.
There's very beautiful side to the
Purim festivities. 1t is the time for Or
gsnlzed charity TO show what it is
doing. All the little round-headed
orphans who march in procession about
the upper streets OF Manhattan ISL
and. and who play on the sunny
slope facing the Hudson behind the b z
brick asylum; the Old men who nod and
doze III their armchairs. before their long
sleep in the big hospitable homes which
have been built 10 shelter them; the immi-
grant from European persecution who is
painfully trying to learn English in the
admirable evening schools maintained by
Hebrew charity, all know when Purim
comes. and rejoice in the certainty that it
means feasting and extra pleasures for
them. For Purim is the chosen day OF
charity of all the year.
Succoth, the Feast of Tabernacles. begins
fifteen days after the Jewish New Year
Coming in September or early October, il
resembles Harvest Home. and the roof
and sides of the leafy canopy of succah
are hung with garnered fruits Of autumn.
The Jews quite universally celebrate
Thanksgiving IN November. finding no
objection to il as q national rather than q
religious holiday.
So what with Passover and Pentecost
and Thanksgiving ana two New Years and
two Christmases, or something strongly
like 'em, I'm not going 10 waste any pity
Christians are having their New Year cele-