Hanukkah and Diwali: Travel Across Traditions

Jaipur lit up for Diwali

Our November tour was a great success! We had travelers from across the globe, from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, Australia and the UK. We all bonded as a family while enjoying India’s amazing hospitality, superb cuisine and breathtaking sites.

We were lucky enough to be in India during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, which celebrates the victory of light over darkness, good over evil. Everywhere we went, strings of lights illuminated buildings, festooned monuments, and decorated streets and homes. People flocked to local shops to purchase presents. In Jaipur, the main road was lit up with six-pointed stars. Though they reminded us of the Magen David, they are actually good luck signs in Hinduism. Mouthwatering fried foods like potato-stuffed samosas are a staple of Indian cooking.

Hanukkah, of course, is the Jewish festival of lights! The similarity in our traditions is striking. At this time of divisiveness in the world, it is comforting to know how much we share with others.

Happy Hanukkah!