On Sunday night guests passing by the Downtown Disney Live! stage at Downtown Disney District could get a little taste of Hanukkah as The LA Schleppers Klezmer Band performed throughout the night. This band was a lot of fun and brought genuine warmth to a very cool night. The band included instrumentalists playing the marimba, violin, trumpet, accordion, and sousaphone.
As the night continued on, the band continued to bring their energetic spirit to the Disneyland Resort. They were also quite excited that they were able to play at Downtown Disney District on the first night of Hanukkah.
On the first day of Hanukkah, the shamash and the first candle are lit are lit on the menorah. Hanukkah commemorates the rebellion of the Jewish people against the Syrians in the Maccabean War. The main thing to know about this is the Maccabees were the first of the Jewish people to fight for religious freedoms. In general, the military aspects of the festival are played down. Instead, the celebration focuses on the survival of Judaism. After the victory, the Jewish people ritually cleansed and rededicated the Temple. They then re-lit the menorah, or “perpetual lamp.” This is why one of the other names for this celebration is the Feast of Dedication. Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew.
According to the story that is told, there was only enough consecrated oil for the lamp to burn for one day and it would take 8 days to get more. Miraculously, however, the oil lasted for the entire 8 days. This is the reason that Hanukkah is also known as the Feast or Festival of Lights. The final day of Hanukkah falls on the eighth day of this period.
Klezmer music has origins in Europe among the Ashkenazi Jews. The word is Yiddish and a contraction for the Hebrew words for both instrument (kley) and song (zemer). It is traditional folk music that has inspiration from the synagogue, Roma people, European folk music, and also classical music.
The performance of The LA Schleppers Klezmer Band was a wonderful way to get a glimpse into the celebration of Hanukkah for those who were visiting the Disneyland Resort. The band will be returning to Downtown Disney on January 8, 2023.
A big thank you to Jeff Gordon for your help in proofing the accuracy of this article! Check out his “Gordon Grubs” food reviews on Instagram!
