Reviews
Ashton provides a very thorough cultural history of Chanukah as she traces the holiday's importance to American Jewry., "Ashton has succeeded in putting together a fascinating account of Hanukkah in America; students of modern festive culture, and not only of American Jewish holiday culture, will undoubtedly find the book to be instructive."- Journal in Contemporary Jewry, Again and again . . . American Jews wove Hanukkah's story into their own contemporary lives in ways that reflected their changing circumstances. Those retellings kept Hanukkah's meaning alive and relevant. They turned the simple holiday rite into an event which, like other well-loved Jewish festivals, drew families together in their own homes where they could tailor the celebration to fit their own tastes in food and decor, and to reflect their own ideas about the holiday's significance, "More than merely the 'Jewish Christmas,' as it is often mistakenly characterized, Hanukkah's story--as told through Dianne Ashton's sweeping history--is a fascinating window on the evolution of Jewish integration into American society and culture." -Alan M. Kraut,American University, American Jewish History editor Ashton has written a scholarly but accessible guide to the evolution of the Festival of Lights in America. . . . Most will be familiar with modern efforts to counter the pervasiveness of Christmas by boosting Hanukkahs significance, but Ashtons thorough treatment of her topic is sure to enlightenshe discusses everything from the official observances of Hanukkah at the White House to how the rise of the celebration affected mainstream ad campaigns and the number of opportunities available to Jewish women. It all adds up to powerful support for her thesis that Hanukkah now enjoys 'a more significant place in the American Jewish calendar than it had known' since the events it commemorates., [T]his work shows how Jewish communities used 'an element within Judaism that corresponded to an element of Christianity in order to resist Christianity.' A fact-filled, mostly interesting account of Hanukkah's development in the United States., "Ashton offers us the most comprehensive history of Hanukkah to date . . . . It would be a joy to find this book nestled under one's Hanukkah bush or in front of the memorah."-Lisa Hoelle, Practical Matters, Although Hanukkah in all its various spellings is considered a minor holiday on the Jewish calendar by rabbis and many Jews, Dianne Ashton makes a very persuasive case for its importance and influence in American society., "Hanukkah, traditionally a minor Jewish festival, grew like a beanstalk in America, becoming one of Judaism's most widely celebrated holidays. In this definitive history, Dianne Ashton explains how this happened, and what it teaches us about America, about religion, and about Jews."-Jonathan D. Sarna,author of American Judaism: A History, "The book's strength lies in both the comfortable familiarity of its broad theme and in its delightful details, many of which will be unfamiliar to specialists and more casual readers"- H-Net.com, "Religiously, Hanukkah is considered a minor Jewish festival. Ashton's wonderfully readable, fact-packed history demonstrates, however, that in the U.S., Hanukkah isn't minor at all...[T]he illustrations scattered throughout the text are always pertinent; and Ashton's evenhandedness most admirable."-Ray Olson,STARRED Booklist, Children growing up in 21st-century America are encouraged to think that the December holiday season is an inclusive one, and that Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations carry equal import. Historically and liturgically, however, as many Jewish children learn after their bar or bat mitzvah, Hanukkah is a minor holiday, ginned up to compete with Christmass dominancea quandary known as the 'December dilemma.' Hanukkahs history was manipulated: the celebration of an unlikely military victory of the Maccabee-led Judean insurgents against Hellenic rule became a story, spurred on by Talmudic myth, of Gods intervention to make one flask of sacred oil burn for eight nights. Ashton offers readers a lively account of the holidays modern iterations. At various points, Hanukkah was a social enticement to join a Jewish congregation, a counterpoint to arguments that Jews were weak and a celebration to bond children to family. Hanukkah reflects both a general Jewish problem and a distinctly American one. On the one hand, it embodies the 'essential project of the rabbis: With the Temple destroyed, they aimed to make it possible for Jews to extend the spirituality of the Temple into their everyday lives.' On the other, for most of the 19th century, 'American Jewish life struggled along on the distant periphery of the Jewish world, an ocean away from the great centers of Jewish learning' and leadership. Celebrating Hanukkah in the home allowed the creation of an American Jewish tradition., "Hanukkah, traditionally a minor Jewish festival, grew like a beanstalk in America, becoming one of Judaism's most widely celebrated holidays. In this definitive history, Dianne Ashton explains how this happened, and what it teaches us about America, about religion, and about Jews."-Jonathan D. Sarna,author of American Judaism: A History"More than merely the 'Jewish Christmas,' as it is often mistakenly characterized, Hanukkah's story--as told through Dianne Ashton's sweeping history--is a fascinating window on the evolution of Jewish integration into American society and culture." -Alan M. Kraut,American University"A successful and accessible history, Ashton's book will appeal to general readers and specialists with an interest in American Jewish history."--Matt Rice, Library Journal "[T]his work shows how Jewish communities used 'an element within Judaism that corresponded to an element of Christianity in order to resist Christianity.' A fact-filled, mostly interesting account of Hanukkah's development in the United States."-- Kirkus Reviews "Most will be familiar with modern efforts to counter the pervasiveness of Christmas by boosting Hanukkah's significance, but Ashton's thorough treatment of her topic is sure to enlighten--she discusses everything from the official observances of Hanukkah at the White House to how the rise of the celebration affected mainstream ad campaigns and the number of opportunities available to Jewish women. It all adds up to powerful support for her thesis that Hanukkah now enjoys "a more significant place in the American Jewish calendar than it had known" since the events it commemorates."-- Publishers Weekly, Religiously, Hanukkah is considered a minor Jewish festival. Ashtons wonderfully readable, fact-packed history demonstrates, however, that in the U.S., Hanukkah isnt minor at all . . . . [T]he illustrations scattered throughout the text are always pertinent; andAshtons evenhandedness most admirable., "More than merely the 'Jewish Christmas,' as it is often mistakenly characterized, Hanukkah's story--as told through Dianne Ashton's sweeping history--is a fascinating window on the evolution of Jewish integration into American society and culture." -Alan M. Kraut,American University, Ashton offers us the most comprehensive history of Hanukkah to date . . . . It would be a joy to find this book nestled under one's Hanukkah bush or in front of the memorah., "The tale Ashton tells, thankfully, is not simply ofthe holiday but also of the growth of the Jewish community in all its aspectsfrom its earliest days on this continent. Hanukkah in America is a cultural history worth reading. As any book on Hanukkah should be, this oneis wonderfully enlightening." - Congregational Libraries Today, "[T]his book is certainly a welcome and valuable contribution to the fields of American Jewish history and religious studies."- The American Jewish Archives Journal, "Again and again . . . American Jews wove Hanukkah's story into their own contemporary lives in ways that reflected their changing circumstances. Those retellings kept Hanukkah's meaning alive and relevant. They turned the simple holiday rite into an event which, like other well-loved Jewish festivals, drew families together in their own homes where they could tailor the celebration to fit their own tastes in food and decor, and to reflect their own ideas about the holiday's significance." - Jewish Book Council, "Hanukkah, traditionally a minor Jewish festival, grew like a beanstalk in America, becoming one of Judaism's most widely celebrated holidays. In this definitive history, Dianne Ashton explains how this happened, and what it teaches us about America, about religion, and about Jews."-Jonathan D. Sarna, author of American Judaism: A History"More than merely the 'Jewish Christmas,' as it is often mistakenly characterized, Hanukkah's story--as told through Dianne Ashton's sweeping history--is a fascinating window on the evolution of Jewish integration into American society and culture." -Alan M. Kraut, American University, "Children growing up in 21st-century America are encouraged to think that the December holiday season is an inclusive one, and that Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations carry equal import. Historically and liturgically, however, as many Jewish children learn after their bar or bat mitzvah, Hanukkah is a minor holiday, ginned up to compete with Christmas's dominance - a quandary known as the 'December dilemma.' Hanukkah's history was manipulated: the celebration of an unlikely military victory of the Maccabee-led Judean insurgents against Hellenic rule became a story, spurred on by Talmudic myth, of God's intervention to make one flask of sacred oil burn for eight nights. Ashton offers readers a lively account of the holiday's modern iterations. At various points, Hanukkah was a social enticement to join a Jewish congregation, a counterpoint to arguments that Jews were weak and a celebration to bond children to family. Hanukkah reflects both a general Jewish problem and a distinctly American one. On the one hand, it embodies the 'essential project of the rabbis: With the Temple destroyed, they aimed to make it possible for Jews to extend the spirituality of the Temple into their everyday lives.' On the other, for most of the 19th century, 'American Jewish life struggled along on the distant periphery of the Jewish world, an ocean away from the great centers of Jewish learning' and leadership. Celebrating Hanukkah in the home allowed the creation of an American Jewish tradition."- New York Times ,, "American Jewish History editor Ashton has written a scholarly but accessible guide to the evolution of the Festival of Lights in America. . . Most will be familiar with modern efforts to counter the pervasiveness of Christmas by boosting Hanukkah's significance, but Ashton's thorough treatment of her topic is sure to enlighten-she discusses everything from the official observances of Hanukkah at the White House to how the rise of the celebration affected mainstream ad campaigns and the number of opportunities available to Jewish women. It all adds up to powerful support for her thesis that Hanukkah now enjoys 'a more significant place in the American Jewish calendar than it had known' since the events it commemorates."- STARRED Publishers Weekly ,, "In Hanukkah in America, Ashton notes that poverty and scarcity were the experience of most Jews in Europe, but 'abundance, security, and access to new places marked their Americanization. 'Presents' was among the first English words to appear in Yiddish newspapers . . . By 1906 the Forverts (Jewish Daily Forward) advertised Hanukkah gift objects' for sale in Jewish-owned stores. America itself was associated with prosperity and conspicuous consumption. It logically followed that Hanukkah should reflect this."- PacificStandard.com, "Children growing up in 21st-century America are encouraged to think that the December holiday season is an inclusive one, and that Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations carry equal import. Historically and liturgically, however, as many Jewish children learn after their bar or bat mitzvah, Hanukkah is a minor holiday, ginned up to compete with Christmas's dominance-a quandary known as the 'December dilemma.' Hanukkah's history was manipulated: the celebration of an unlikely military victory of the Maccabee-led Judean insurgents against Hellenic rule became a story, spurred on by Talmudic myth, of God's intervention to make one flask of sacred oil burn for eight nights. Ashton offers readers a lively account of the holiday's modern iterations. At various points, Hanukkah was a social enticement to join a Jewish congregation, a counterpoint to arguments that Jews were weak and a celebration to bond children to family. Hanukkah reflects both a general Jewish problem and a distinctly American one. On the one hand, it embodies the 'essential project of the rabbis: With the Temple destroyed, they aimed to make it possible for Jews to extend the spirituality of the Temple into their everyday lives.' On the other, for most of the 19th century, 'American Jewish life struggled along on the distant periphery of the Jewish world, an ocean away from the great centers of Jewish learning' and leadership. Celebrating Hanukkah in the home allowed the creation of an American Jewish tradition."- New York Times, "Although Hanukkah in all its various spellings is considered a minor holiday on the Jewish calendar by rabbis and many Jews, Dianne Ashton makes a very persuasive case for its importance and influence in American society."- Western States Jewish History, More than merely the 'Jewish Christmas,' as it is often mistakenly characterized, Hanukkah's storyas told through Dianne Ashton's sweeping historyis a fascinating window on the evolution of Jewish integration into American society and culture., "Again and again...American Jews wove Hanukkah's story into their own contemporary lives in ways that reflected their changing circumstances. Those retellings kept Hanukkah's meaning alive and relevant. They turned the simple holiday rite into an event which, like other well-loved Jewish festivals, drew families together in their own homes where they could tailor the celebration to fit their own tastes in food and decor, and to reflect their own ideas about the holiday's significance." -Dianne Ashton, Jewish Book Council, "The book's strength lies in both the comfortable familiarity of its broad theme and in its delightful details, many of which will be unfamiliar to specialists and more casual readers."- H-Net.com, "[T]his work shows how Jewish communities used 'an element within Judaism that corresponded to an element of Christianity in order to resist Christianity.' A fact-filled, mostly interesting account of Hanukkah's development in the United States."- Kirkus,, "Again and again . . . American Jews wove Hanukkah's story into their own contemporary lives in ways that reflected their changing circumstances. Those retellings kept Hanukkah's meaning alive and relevant. They turned the simple holiday rite into an event which, like other well-loved Jewish festivals, drew families together in their own homes where they could tailor the celebration to fit their own tastes in food and decor, and to reflect their own ideas about the holiday's significance." - Jewish Book Council, "Ashton offers us the most comprehensive history of Hanukkah to date...It would be a joy to find this book nestled under one's Hanukkah bush or in front of the memorah." -Lisa Hoelle, Practical Matters, In Hanukkah in America, Ashton notes that poverty and scarcity were the experience of most Jews in Europe, but 'abundance, security, and access to new places marked their Americanization. 'Presents' was among the first English words to appear in Yiddish newspapers . . . By 1906 the Forverts (Jewish Daily Forward) advertised Hanukkah gift objects' for sale in Jewish-owned stores. America itself was associated with prosperity and conspicuous consumption. It logically followed that Hanukkah should reflect this., "Religiously, Hanukkah is considered a minor Jewish festival. Ashton's wonderfully readable, fact-packed history demonstrates, however, that in the U.S., Hanukkah isn't minor at all . . . . [T]he illustrations scattered throughout the text are always pertinent; and Ashton's evenhandedness most admirable."-Ray Olson,STARRED Booklist, "American Jewish History editor Ashton has written a scholarly but accessible guide to the evolution of the Festival of Lights in America. . . Most will be familiar with modern efforts to counter the pervasiveness of Christmas by boosting Hanukkah's significance, but Ashton's thorough treatment of her topic is sure to enlighten-she discusses everything from the official observances of Hanukkah at the White House to how the rise of the celebration affected mainstream ad campaigns and the number of opportunities available to Jewish women. It all adds up to powerful support for her thesis that Hanukkah now enjoys 'a more significant place in the American Jewish calendar than it had known' since the events it commemorates." - Publishers Weekly ,Starred Review, "Religiously, Hanukkah is considered a minor Jewish festival. Ashton's wonderfully readable, fact-packed history demonstrates, however, that in the U.S., Hanukkah isn't minor at all . . . . [T]he illustrations scattered throughout the text are always pertinent; and Ashton's evenhandedness most admirable."-Ray Olson,STARRED Booklist, "[T]his work shows how Jewish communities used 'an element within Judaism that corresponded to an element of Christianity in order to resist Christianity.' A fact-filled, mostly interesting account of Hanukkah's development in the United States."- Kirkus,, "[T]his work shows how Jewish communities used 'an element within Judaism that corresponded to an element of Christianity in order to resist Christianity.' A fact-filled, mostly interesting account of Hanukkah's development in the United States."- Kirkus, "Hanukkah, traditionally a minor Jewish festival, grew like a beanstalk in America, becoming one of Judaism's most widely celebrated holidays. In this definitive history, Dianne Ashton explains how this happened, and what it teaches us about America, about religion, and about Jews."-Jonathan D. Sarna, author of American Judaism: A History"More than merely the 'Jewish Christmas,' as it is often mistakenly characterized, Hanukkah's story--as told through Dianne Ashton's sweeping history--is a fascinating window on the evolution of Jewish integration into American society and culture." -Alan M. Kraut, American University"A successful and accessible history, Ashton's book will appeal to general readers and specialists with an interest in American Jewish history."--Matt Rice, Library Journal "[T]his work shows how Jewish communities used 'an element within Judaism that corresponded to an element of Christianity in order to resist Christianity.' A fact-filled, mostly interesting account of Hanukkah's development in the United States."-- Kirkus Reviews "Most will be familiar with modern efforts to counter the pervasiveness of Christmas by boosting Hanukkah's significance, but Ashton's thorough treatment of her topic is sure to enlighten--she discusses everything from the official observances of Hanukkah at the White House to how the rise of the celebration affected mainstream ad campaigns and the number of opportunities available to Jewish women. It all adds up to powerful support for her thesis that Hanukkah now enjoys "a more significant place in the American Jewish calendar than it had known" since the events it commemorates."-- Publishers Weekly, "Hanukkah in America is rich in details and clearly written, and should be particularly useful for teaching undergraduate students in the fields of Jewish history, and the latter with an excellent case study for the historical contingency and fluidity of the meaning of religious holidays. Finally, this is an important contribution to the growing literature on Jews' cultural impact on American society."- Review of Religious Research, "More than merely the 'Jewish Christmas,' as it is often mistakenly characterized, Hanukkah's story--as told through Dianne Ashton's sweeping history--is a fascinating window on the evolution of Jewish integration into American society and culture."-Alan M. Kraut,American University, "Hanukkah, traditionally a minor Jewish festival, grew like a beanstalk in America, becoming one of Judaism's most widely celebrated holidays. In this definitive history, Dianne Ashton explains how this happened, and what it teaches us about America, about religion, and about Jews."-Jonathan D. Sarna, author of American Judaism: A History"More than merely the 'Jewish Christmas,' as it is often mistakenly characterized, Hanukkah's story--as told through Dianne Ashton's sweeping history--is a fascinating window on the evolution of Jewish integration into American society and culture." -Alan M. Kraut, American University"A successful and accessible history, Ashton's book will appeal to general readers and specialists with an interest in American Jewish history."--Matt Rice, Library Journal "[T]his work shows how Jewish communities used 'an element within Judaism that corresponded to an element of Christianity in order to resist Christianity.' A fact-filled, mostly interesting account of Hanukkah's development in the United States."-- Kirkus Reviews, "Ashton's study reveals that the interactions between Jews and their American neighbors held the potential for inspiring Jews to reexamine their religious culture and redirect it toward bringing greater joy to American Jewish life. This 'Christmas effect' also demonstrates the complicated question of whether an innovation constitutes assimilation or 'Jewish renewal.' When was borrowing from the majority culture an act of 'selling out,' and when was it a means to finding a more meaningful solution? Jews in America have always wrestled with that dilemma and, perhaps, never more than during Hanukkah."-Rachel Gordan, The Marginalia Review of Books, [T]his book is certainly a welcome and valuable contribution to the fields of American Jewish history and religious studies., Ashton's study reveals that the interactions between Jews and their American neighbors held the potential for inspiring Jews to reexamine their religious culture and redirect it toward bringing greater joy to American Jewish life. This 'Christmas effect' also demonstrates the complicated question of whether an innovation constitutes assimilation or 'Jewish renewal.' When was borrowing from the majority culture an act of 'selling out,' and when was it a means to finding a more meaningful solution? Jews in America have always wrestled with that dilemma and, perhaps, never more than during Hanukkah., Hanukkah, traditionally a minor Jewish festival, grew like a beanstalk in America, becoming one of Judaisms most widely celebrated holidays. In this definitive history, Dianne Ashton explains how this happened, and what it teaches us about America, about religion, and about Jews., A successful and accessible history, Ashton's book will appeal to general readers and specialists with an interest in American Jewish history., "More than merely the 'Jewish Christmas,' as it is often mistakenly characterized, Hanukkah's story-as told through Dianne Ashton's sweeping history-is a fascinating window on the evolution of Jewish integration into American society and culture." -Alan M. Kraut,American University, "Children growing up in 21st-century America are encouraged to think that the December holiday season is an inclusive one, and that Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations carry equal import. Historically and liturgically, however, as many Jewish children learn after their bar or bat mitzvah, Hanukkah is a minor holiday, ginned up to compete with Christmas's dominance-a quandary known as the 'December dilemma.' Hanukkah's history was manipulated: the celebration of an unlikely military victory of the Maccabee-led Judean insurgents against Hellenic rule became a story, spurred on by Talmudic myth, of God's intervention to make one flask of sacred oil burn for eight nights. Ashton offers readers a lively account of the holiday's modern iterations. At various points, Hanukkah was a social enticement to join a Jewish congregation, a counterpoint to arguments that Jews were weak and a celebration to bond children to family. Hanukkah reflects both a general Jewish problem and a distinctly American one. On the one hand, it embodies the 'essential project of the rabbis: With the Temple destroyed, they aimed to make it possible for Jews to extend the spirituality of the Temple into their everyday lives.' On the other, for most of the 19th century, 'American Jewish life struggled along on the distant periphery of the Jewish world, an ocean away from the great centers of Jewish learning' and leadership. Celebrating Hanukkah in the home allowed the creation of an American Jewish tradition."- New York Times ,, "In Hanukkah in America, Ashton notes that poverty and scarcity were the experience of most Jews in Europe, but 'abundance, security, and access to new places marked their Americanization. 'Presents' was among the first English words to appear in Yiddish newspapers...By 1906 the Forverts (Jewish Daily Forward) advertised Hanukkah gift objects' for sale in Jewish-owned stores. America itself was associated with prosperity and conspicuous consumption. It logically followed that Hanukkah should reflect this."- PacificStandard.com, "A successful and accessible history, Ashton's book will appeal to general readers and specialists with an interest in American Jewish history."- Library Journal ,, "American Jewish History editor Ashton has written a scholarly but accessible guide to the evolution of the Festival of Lights in America. . . . Most will be familiar with modern efforts to counter the pervasiveness of Christmas by boosting Hanukkah's significance, but Ashton's thorough treatment of her topic is sure to enlighten-she discusses everything from the official observances of Hanukkah at the White House to how the rise of the celebration affected mainstream ad campaigns and the number of opportunities available to Jewish women. It all adds up to powerful support for her thesis that Hanukkah now enjoys 'a more significant place in the American Jewish calendar than it had known' since the events it commemorates."- STARRED Publishers Weekly, "The tale Ashton tells, thankfully, is not simply ofthe holiday but also of the growth of the Jewish community in all its aspectsfrom its earliest days on this continent. Hanukkah in America is a cultural history worth reading. As any book on Hanukkah should be, this oneis wonderfully enlightening." - Congregational Libraries Today, "[T]his work shows how Jewish communities used 'an element within Judaism that corresponded to an element of Christianity in order to resist Christianity.' A fact-filled, mostly interesting account of Hanukkah's development in the United States."- Kirkus, "Ashton provides a very thorough cultural history of Chanukah as she traces the holiday's importance to American Jewry."- The Kentucky Democrat, "American Jewish History editor Ashton has written a scholarly but accessible guide to the evolution of the Festival of Lights in America. . . Most will be familiar with modern efforts to counter the pervasiveness of Christmas by boosting Hanukkah's significance, but Ashton's thorough treatment of her topic is sure to enlighten-she discusses everything from the official observances of Hanukkah at the White House to how the rise of the celebration affected mainstream ad campaigns and the number of opportunities available to Jewish women. It all adds up to powerful support for her thesis that Hanukkah now enjoys 'a more significant place in the American Jewish calendar than it had known' since the events it commemorates."- STARRED Publishers Weekly, "Children growing up in 21st-century America are encouraged to think that the December holiday season is an inclusive one, and that Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations carry equal import. Historically and liturgically, however, as many Jewish children learn after their bar or bat mitzvah, Hanukkah is a minor holiday, ginned up to compete with Christmas's dominance-a quandary known as the 'December dilemma.' Hanukkah's history was manipulated: the celebration of an unlikely military victory of the Maccabee-led Judean insurgents against Hellenic rule became a story, spurred on by Talmudic myth, of God's intervention to make one flask of sacred oil burn for eight nights. Ashton offers readers a lively account of the holiday's modern iterations. At various points, Hanukkah was a social enticement to join a Jewish congregation, a counterpoint to arguments that Jews were weak and a celebration to bond children to family. Hanukkah reflects both a general Jewish problem and a distinctly American one. On the one hand, it embodies the 'essential project of the rabbis: With the Temple destroyed, they aimed to make it possible for Jews to extend the spirituality of the Temple into their everyday lives.' On the other, for most of the 19th century, 'American Jewish life struggled along on the distant periphery of the Jewish world, an ocean away from the great centers of Jewish learning' and leadership. Celebrating Hanukkah in the home allowed the creation of an American Jewish tradition."- New York Times, "Hanukkah, traditionally a minor Jewish festival, grew like a beanstalk in America, becoming one of Judaism's most widely celebrated holidays. In this definitive history, Dianne Ashton explains how this happened, and what it teaches us about America, about religion, and about Jews."-Jonathan D. Sarna,author of American Judaism: A History, The books strength lies in both the comfortable familiarity of its broad theme and in its delightful details, many of which will be unfamiliar to specialists and more casual readers.
