Chanukah Wars

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From 'The Jewish Week'.....

Jeremy Dauber, a young professor of Yiddish at Columbia University, received a somewhat unusual e-mail request one day last week from a writer at “The Daily Show,” Jon Stewart’s popular Comedy Central “news” program.The question: what’s a Yiddish phrase one would use to wish a friend a Happy Chanukah, preferably a long and complicated set of words?Dauber responded with “a lichtegeh and freilichin Chanukah,” meaning “a bright and joyous Chanukah.”The writer thanked him and suggested Dauber watch the end of the program that night, when Stewart segues into “The Colbert Report” by chatting briefly with host Stephen Colbert.Sure enough, on the program a stern-faced Colbert said he wanted to address “the Chanukah wars,” spoofing “the Christmas wars” waged by conservative TV personalities who insist that political correctness is preventing people from wishing each other a Merry Christmas in public during this holiday season.Colbert said he wanted to acknowledge the war led by Judah Maccabee against Antiochus in 160 BCE. “That’s what Chanukah means to me,” he said, adding: “And when I hear Wal-Mart greeters wishing me a Happy Holiday instead of a lichtegeh and freilichin Chanukah, it makes me so angry.”As he and Stewart burst into laughter, along with the audience, Colbert repeated the Yiddish phrase for good measure, noting: “Is that so hard?”Said Stewart: “It puts a smile on my pupik.”And no doubt on Dauber’s as well, always happy to spread the message that Yiddish is alive and well.