Youngsters get a ‘sense’ of Hanukkah celebration BY DAVE BENJAMIN Staff Writer DAVE BENJAMIN Brooke Mauro rolls a ball of clay into a candle holder as she works on her project to create a Hanukkah menorah at Temple Beth Shalom, Manalapan. MANALAPAN — Youngsters at Temple Beth Shalom, Route 522, used all of their senses as they prepared to celebrate the festival of Hanukkah. The holiday began on the evening of Dec. 7 and will continue for eight days. The holiday commemorates a victory by a Jewish uprising over the Syrians in ancient Israel. “We want the children to be proud of their traditions and to understand why we do the different things we do at this time of the year,” said Pre-K school director Ellen Kurzer. “We want them to really enjoy the holiday while having fun and not only think of it as a time to get toys, but as a time of miracles.” Kurzer said teachers will tell the 4- and 5-year-olds the story of Hanukkah using puppets. “We want them to understand that the story is about standing up for what you believe in,” said the director. Stacey Paverman, assistant to the director, said, “We’re introducing the children to the holiday of Hanukkah using the five senses.” The children will use their senses to see the decorations, feel the glow of the Hanukkah candles on the menorah, hear the Hanukkah songs and blessings, touch wax as they make candles, smell the latkes (potato pancakes) frying and cookies baking, and taste the food they have made. The school was alive with activities in the week before the holiday. Jill Bernicker’s pre-kindergartners were busy making wrapping-paper for their gifts and cards to send to soldiers overseas. Some youngsters were playing a dreidel game for pretzels. Audrey Goldberg’s pupils were making Hanukkah menorahs using wood donated by Lowe’s. The menorahs will be the children’s present to their parents. In another room, children and parent volunteers Lori Podos, Cindi Halperin, Meryl Patmore, Lori Singer, Allison Volk, Allison Pearlman, Shari Plotka and Judy Zodkoy were making latkes and cookies. The celebration will culminate at a special Hanukkah happening where parents and family members will join the children at their activities.