Hamden High’s Jewish Students Association (JSA) just hosted its first event of the year, for Hanukkah on Monday, December 8th. They made dreidels out of clay, learned about Hanukkah, sang songs, and had a great time. Mrs. Chaya Hecht, who works at the Chabad synagogue on Whitney Ave., brought doughnuts, prepared with more oil than the usual amount in a doughnut, as is the traditional method of preparation. She also brought dreidels, which are four-sided spinning tops. Co-presidents Maya Sparks and Tobias Haxhi’s goal in hosting this event was to “support religious dialogue in a safe space, and [to] bring more aspects of Jewish culture to HHS.” They sang the Adam Sandler song, which was very fun for the 15 people in attendance. It was a bittersweet moment for senior Nathan, who has been involved in the club for all 4 years, as this is his last celebration. Additionally, Brennan Lockett, a sophomore, was in attendance, and he “cooked” while playing Kahoot.

The event was more sparsely attended, as many members of the JSA last year have graduated. There will be more celebrations like this to draw new members to the club, according to the Dial’s very own, Mrs Alexander.