#eric kimmel

[yeehawpim]

have a happy memory as hanukkah is starting on dec 7! I've been frantically searching for a copy of this book in libraries since I remembered it.

here is a video I found of the author Eric Kimmel reading it aloud

[picturebookshelf]

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins (1989)

Story: Eric Kimmel -- Art: Trina Schart Hyman

[veryslowreader]

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel

Forever Strong

[anonymousdandelion]

Crowley and Aziraphale meet Hershel of Ostropol

As usual this time each year, I reread the wonderful work of classic Jewish children’s literature that is Eric Kimmel’s Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. And then afterwards (also as usual these days), my brain drifted to thinking about Good Omens.

I'd probably try to turn the resulting thoughts into a niche crossover fic, except I’m still very much out of creative writing mode, so that probably won’t happen. So instead: Tumblr rambles that will probably mean nothing to anyone but me!

Because, see, I can’t help thinking that Crowley would have very much admired Hershel of Ostropol, in all his trickster glory. I mean, really. Just look at Hershel’s shenanigans, his sense of humor, his sheer audacity. The man’s wiles! Crowley is definitely a fan.

(Aziraphale might pretend to be disapproving of some of Hershel’s methods. But something tells me he in fact has his own sense of appreciation for a clever, incorrigible prankster.)

As for the goblins, haunting the old synagogue and ruining Chanukah? It’s no great stretch of the imagination to say these are demons. Mostly lower-ranking ones, presumably (with the obvious exception of the king who shows up on the final night); looking at Trina Schart Hyman’s vivid illustrations, Hell’s Usher from GO would fit right in with the crowd.

(Side note: I imagine they don’t have pickles in Hell, so I can’t help but feel some sympathy for Eric’s big, green, overdramatic, pickle-deprived waddling cousin. Despite everything, I do hope Crowley will bring down a jar for the poor fellow sometime.)

Now, back to the fic that I probably won’t write... well, first I was trying to figure out what role Crowley and/or Aziraphale might play in Hershel’s showdowns against the goblins. Does Crowley help Hershel out? Give tips on how to defeat his own goblin/demon coworkers? Does Aziraphale join in the attempt to protect the holiday? Do both of them work on it together? Does Crowley have to be a reluctant collaborator with the goblins? Does the Arrangement come into play?

...But then I realized it would feel truer to both canon source materials if in fact Hershel still pulls off his victory single-handed, just as he does in today’s telling of the story, while Aziraphale and Crowley bicker in the background while waiting around with the rest of the villagers and making no difference at all.

(They’d both have liked to do something to help, really, they would, it’s just that Aziraphale did a few too many anticipatory small-scale oil-extending, dreidel-charming, and latke-multiplying miracles elsewhere recently, and so he’s at the end of his budget for the time being.)

(And Crowley, of course, can’t exactly go sticking his neck out to publicly challenge his own coworkers. There’s always the possibility that he is a, perhaps reluctant, collaborator in the haunting himself.)

(Though at this point he is seriously considering sticking his neck out anyway, consequences be blessed, if Aziraphale complains one more time about the lack of latkes...)

Fortunately, Hershel comes through to save the day on his own — unaided by any forces save his trademark brand of craftiness, Chanukah candles, a few eggs and pickles and a dreidel, and of course an extra-sized serving of raw chutzpah.

And when Hershel finally returns to the village on the last night of Chanukah, he doesn’t even know he isn’t the only non-local there tonight. He doesn’t know that among the throngs of people waiting to welcome him back with latke-laden platters, hanging around on the outskirts and exchanging smiles, are an angel and a demon. He doesn’t need to know that.

But it’s possible, just possible, that a little demonic miracle or two might have helped make sure that Hershel of Ostropol and and his escapades would not be forgotten. It’s possible, just possible, that an off-the-record angelic blessing helped safeguard his legacy, to be preserved in jokes and tales.

And so, today, Hershel’s adventures are remembered, retold, and passed on for future generations to read and hear and laugh over together, as the villagers’ descendants gather once again around the menorah to celebrate another triumph of tradition and the spirit of Chanukah.

(I suppose this post can count as my accidental contribution to @5ftjewishcactus‘s Chanukah Omens 2021 event, since it ended up incorporating several of the prompts.)

[franki-lew-yo]

I know it’s long past Hanukkah but I have a question

Is this book considered a classic at all?

If you haven’t somehow read it and a copy is in close proximity, you should do it: the goblin king gets dance-magic-danced by Hershel’s good vibes at the end, how can you not love that!!? 10/10 glorious.

This was my favorite book that popped up around December and I didn’t even celebrate Hanukkah. I wonder about it’s significance within the Jewish community though. Is it a classic? Just curious.

----

I was about to ask why this hasn’t been made into a movie yet when the only pure Hanukkah film out there is Zlateh the Goat.

THEN I remembered that had they done that in the 2000s Robert Zemeckis would have been the go to guy to replicate the art style. And that makes me sad. He reanimated enough holidays into horror and the only one it worked with was Monster House on account of it being a Halloween film.

[batsbooktalk]

Recsmas 2018, Day 14

A book that reminds you of the holidays

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins // Eric Kimmel

[evilkitten3]

if you haven’t read hershel and the hanukkah goblins then what are you doing with your life

[cleoenfaserum]

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins

Children's book. (1243)

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins is a children's picture book written by Eric Kimmel and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman in 1989. It features the Jewish folk hero and trickster figure Hershel of Ostropol challenging and defeating through guile a series of goblins over the course of the eight nights of Hanukkah, culminating in a showdown with the King of the Goblins himself on the final night. The book won a Caldecott Honor in 1990.

Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. The festival is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, commonly called a menorah or hanukkiah.

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins - Wikipedia

Hershel facing down the Goblin King from Eric Kimmel's book : 'Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins' illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman reblog source enchantedbook May 14

link https://youtu.be/WVoksAMMQrs

Well, if you are not Jewish like me, there are understandable question about the story that needs to be known to understand this celebration. So I asked my all knowing friend AI Copilot a few questions, which he promptly answered.

Why do the Jews celebrate Hanukkah?

Copilot: Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish celebration that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C. This event followed the successful revolt of the Jewish people, led by the Maccabees, against their Greek-Syrian oppressors.

The story goes that when the Jews reclaimed the temple, they found only enough consecrated oil to keep the temple’s menorah (candelabrum) burning for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days, which is why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights.

During Hanukkah, families light a special menorah called a Hanukiah, play games like dreidel, sing songs, and enjoy traditional foods such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts).

What do you mean by the rededication for the Second Temple in Jerusalem?

Copilot: The rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem refers to an event that took place in 164 B.C. after the Jewish people, led by the Maccabees, successfully revolted against the Greek-Syrian rulers who had desecrated the temple. The Greek-Syrians had imposed their own religious practices and defiled the temple by setting up an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs, which are considered unclean in Judaism.

After reclaiming the temple, the Jews cleansed and purified it, removing all traces of the Greek-Syrian influence. They then rededicated the temple to the worship of the God of Israel. This rededication included the lighting of the menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum, which was supposed to burn continuously. However, they found only a small amount of consecrated oil, enough for one day. Miraculously, this oil lasted for eight days, allowing them time to prepare more consecrated oil.

This miracle is the reason Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and nights, and why lighting the menorah is a central tradition of the holiday.

Is the story by Eric Kimmel "The Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins" based on some Jewish old lore, and why did the author write about it?

Copilot:

“Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins” by Eric Kimmel is a delightful children’s book that draws on the character of Hershel of Ostropol, a traditional Jewish folk hero known for his cleverness and wit. While the story itself is an original creation by Kimmel, it incorporates elements of Jewish folklore and the spirit of Hanukkah.

The book tells the tale of Hershel, who arrives in a village where goblins have taken over the synagogue, preventing the villagers from celebrating Hanukkah. Using his cleverness, Hershel outsmarts the goblins over the eight nights of Hanukkah, ultimately restoring the holiday celebrations.

Eric Kimmel wrote this story to blend the themes of Hanukkah with the rich tradition of Jewish folklore. By doing so, he aimed to create an engaging and educational story for children that highlights the values of bravery, cleverness, and the triumph of good over evil. The inclusion of goblins and magical elements adds a layer of excitement and fantasy, making the story appealing to young readers