There are many events in our lives that involve rituals: birthdays, wedding anniversaries, christmas, hanukkah. when we take part in those rituals, we remember the past and look to the future. the theater often shows rituals being celebrated onstage. discuss how the hanukkah celebration contrasts with the harsh reality outside the hiding place. what is the mood of this hanukkah scene?

The hanukkah celebration is warm and close-knit and cozy, while the reality is that they're hiding in a building where the Gestapo could barge in at any time. This contrast is shown when it mentions a car passing by in the background and a dog persistently barking, both of which foreshadow imminent danger. In the annex, people are exchanging gifts--and warm feelings, in sharp contrast with the cold, merciless Gestapo.