Socony Tax

On Yahrzeit, anniversary of the death of any good Jew, a candle is lit in his honor. In synagogs and homes every Friday night candles are burned, and candles figure in many a Jewish ritual observance, particularly Chanukah, the Feast of Lights (or Maccabees which celebrate the recapture of Jerusalem by Judas Maccabaeus in 165 B.C. This year Chanukah begins Dec. 24, lasts eight days. One says, "Shalom! a very happy Chanukah!" There are parties, the children play the game of trendel with a spinning top, eat lathes (pancakes) and potato kugel, receive Chanukah gelt (gifts). One may not work by the light 'of Chanukah candles (small yellow ones) or oil lamps, which are lit nightly from the special shammus candle and placed on the window sill.

Last week Standard Oil Co. of New Fork tied up its products with religious observance much as Clicquot Club Co. (ginger ale) tied up its bottle caps with unemployment relief. It announced that a special 2-c- stamp tax would be placed on all Yahrzeit lamps, and a graded tax from 1-c- to 10-c- on all ritual candles. The proceeds will go to the New York Yeshivoth and Talmud Torah funds, which maintain Jewish parochial schools and rabbinical academies in the city.

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