The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-21
FEAST OF LIGHTS
 AT TEMPLE EMANUEL
Hanukah Week Closes With
 Fitting Exercises
CHURCH BONDS BURNED
Celebration Was In Honor of the Vic tory of the Jews Over the Syr- ians-Children Take Part in
 the Exercises.

Yesterday was a gala day in the history of the congregation of Temple Emanuel In addition to the eliminating exercises of the celebration of Hanukah week. the last bonds and mortgages Of the cnurch's s indebtedness were publicly burned in the temple by being lighted from candles which had been kindled as a part of the celebration of the feast of lights. The exercises were held at the temple during the afternoon, and were conducted | by the pupils of the Sunday school of the congregation. Following the services the children received presents in the lecture room where refreshments were also served to the members of the congrega- ton by the ladies of the church.
 Historic Celebration. The celebration of Hanukah week is one of the most important events in the Jew ish calendar It is conducted annually in commemoration of the restoration of the | temple of Jerusalem after the defilement | by the Syrians, in 169 B. c.
 | The Syrians were overthrown by the Jews under Judas Maccabeas, and when | they once more entered Jerusalem there was a great celebration, which lasted eight days, during which the temple was restored and purified. All of the oil with which the sacred lamps had been kept burning was destroyed, except one small | vial, which was enough to last but one | day. The Lord performed a miracle in making the oil last eight days. and hence | it is that the celebration of Hanukah | continues for that length of time. | During the celebration one light is kindled in each Jewish family on the | first night, and one additional Is kindled on each succeeding night during the eight days
 The Seven Lights. The most prominent feature of the exer- cises at Temple Emanuel yesterday was the kindling of the seven lights of the candelabra by seven children. The cer- emony was unique, and an appropriate little speech was made by each child as the tapers were kindled.
 Numerous children took part in the ex- | ercises which had been prepared, some | of them giving poems written in celebra- | ton of Hanukah or the feast of lights. l Three little girls read original compost tions explaining the feast and why it is celebrated, all of which were interest | ing.
 Uniue Feature.
 The most unique feature of the after | noon, however, was the burning of the l church bonds, which had been cancelled. | tbo t1la a.I, of whom was given a 5000 bond. With the recitation of an appropriate verse the | bonds were lighted at each of the seven | tapers of the candelabra and burned and
 thus were consumed the last vestiges of the temples indebtedness.
 i Considerable attention had also been | given to the musical programme of the afternoon. The 'Euterpean club of the
 Birmingham High school sang two num-
 bers and violin and vocal solos were well 1 rendered.
 Following the children's part in the programme Simon Klotz. president of | the congregation, made a short address. | giving the history of Temple Emanuel. | He said the congregation was first organ | ized in 1882 by few Israelites who lived | in Birmingham and that the temple was | formally founded in 1888. At that time l there was a debt hanging over the com | gregation of $1S,000. Within the past few l weeks the last $70O0 of this debt has been | paid and the church does not now owe a cent to any one. He conplimented espe-
 cially the ladies of the congregation for | the active part they have taken toward ameliorating the church's financial obli- | gations.
 New Temple Suggested.
 After the congregation descended to the | lecture room to partake of the refresh
 ments, short talk was made by pr. Sam
 uel Uullman, one of the past rabbis l of the congregation. Remarks were | also made by Gustave Rotholz in which he said that the ladies were already anx- l ious to go in debt for new temple now | that the old one had been paid for The children were all made happy by the presents which were given them, which included neat box of candy. It | was in every way a great day in the his- l tory of the temple.