I knew I needed to make a doodle for Hanukkah. I love making content celebrating my Jewish background, but the idea was not coming to me. (see my other Hanukkah doodle about the nine types of people celebrating here). Then, I thought about the tradition of putting your menorah in the window. I realized, I'd already drawn this in a COVID doodle. I'd drawn me feeling trapped inside my apartment, longingly looking out the window. I drew this in November, but my arms kind of look like a Menorah, right?!
So, I took it a step further, I drew this again, adding flames above my fingers, and even reenacting it in my own window. Thank you to my kind, patient friend, Mares, who did the photoshoot. People walking by were confused, which was probably my favorite part.
I thought about Hanukah last year versus this year. Last year was an incredible holiday. My family came over and we played a fun new Cards Against Humanity style called "The Chosen One" (it had some not family-appropriate cards, you'll see in the video below), I Hanukah party-hopped, met a new friend, and even went to an incredible Matisyahu concert with her and hundreds of other people. He lit the candles on stage. It was amazing to see the holiday recognized at a concert (even though it felt like a huge fire hazard!). I also went to a gala at the Jewish Museum of Heritage. It felt like everything was coming together, I had a great community, family, a new job, and lots of meaningful things to do.
This year, a lot of us are inside, which is sad, but we are still facing out to express ourselves and connect as a community.
Me as a menorah in a cartoon and a picture
Video version
Hanukah miracles with my family in 2019
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