Hanukkah and Christmas begin on the same day in 2024, a rare occurrence. The last time it happened was a very special date for spouses Rob and Erica Walker.
They met the year before, in 2004, when Rob spotted Erica at Chicago’s Blackstone Library. He was instantly smitten, and racked his brains for an excuse to approach her. That’s when he noticed she was wearing a hamsa necklace … a symbol important in Jewish and Arab culture.
The next few minutes led to an important moment on the combined night of Hanukkah and Christmas the following year, and then two decades of happiness.
Top Photo: Rob and Erica Walker at their StoryCorps interview in Chicago, Illinois on December 10, 2024. By Jeb Backe for StoryCorps.
Middle video: Rob Walker proposes to Erica Walker on stage at a concert in Chicago, Illinois on December 25. Courtesy of Rob Walker.
Bottom Photo: Rob and Erica Walker moments after his proposal in Chicago, Illinois on December 25. Courtesy of Rob Walker.
This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Originally aired December 20th, 2024, on NPR’s Morning Edition.