UBS celebrates with Latkepalooza

BRISTOL – Latkepalooza at United Brother Synagogue may not be a typical Hanukkah tradition to many, but it has been going on for over a decade at the synagogue located at 205 High St.

From the mouthwatering scent of frying potatoes to the crispy crunch of the finished product, Latkepalooza is a beloved event that the members look forward to attending yearly.

As the name suggests, Latkepalooza is all about latkes, the fried potato pancakes that are a staple of Hanukkah.

According to Ellen Bensusan, a member of the temple, it all started as a small candle-lighting event during the holiday season. Then it was decided to turn it into a latke feast, and the rest is history.

“We've been doing Latkepalooza for probably at least 10 years, if not longer,” said Bensusan. “Obviously we stopped during COVID, but we were doing just sort of a Hanukkah candle-lighting thing, and we decided let's just do Latkes, and it got named Latkepalooza, and so we've been doing it every year since.”

The event, which traditionally attracts 30-40 people, invites members to bring their own variation of latkes to share with the group. From the classic potato latkes to sweet potato and cheese latkes, the recent gathering included something for everyone's taste buds – even a vegan latke.

“It's just a fun way to get together,” said Debra Darkow, another member of the temple. “And it’s great to see everyone again since we really haven’t all been in the same room since COVID.”

In addition to the latke feast, the evening also brought up a heated debate among the members over the consumption of ketchup with latkes. While some were strongly against the idea, others were open to it, comparing it to the controversial topic of putting pineapple on pizza.

The majority agreed that ketchup should not be a condiment option at Latkepalooza.

“We don’t do that here,” Ari Bensusan said with a laugh.

After enjoying the delicious meal, the members headed to the sanctuary for services led by Cantor Dr. Joel Gluck. Although Hanukkah is still a few weeks away, the temple had to accommodate for the scheduled Hanukkah service in January, giving the members an early taste of the holiday.

“There's no contest, there's no winner, there's no comparison,” Bensusan said. “It’s just a fun way for us to be together and celebrate the holiday.”

SETH CHITWOOD (www.sethchitwood.com), of Barrington, is a features reporter for The Standard-Times, in New Bedford. He is also the creative director of the award-winning Angelwood Pictures production company.