▷ How Many Days Long Is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated by millions of people all over the world, commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. It is one of the most popular and festive of all Jewish holidays. The festival of lights, as it is usually referred to, lasts for eight days and is celebrated with many traditional activities such as lighting a special candelabrum called a menorah, spinning a four-sided top or “dreidel” and exchanging small gifts. But how many days long is Hanukkah?

How many days long is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah lasts for eight days and begins on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev. According to the Hebrew calendar it usually happens between late November and late December. During the eight days of Hanukkah, the menorah, which was originally lit with oil to commemorate the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days, is lit on each night. On each night, an extra candle is added and the menorah is lit from left to right. The eight-day Hanukkah holiday also marks the commemoration of the Maccabean successes against the Syrian-Greek oppressors in 167 BCE.

What activities happen during the holiday?

Hanukkah is celebrated with many traditional activities and symbols. Many of the festivities involve the consumption of traditional Hanukkah foods like sufganiyah (fried donuts), latkes (potato pancakes) and many dairy and non-dairy recipes. The celebration also involves the spinning of the dreidel, which is a four-sided spinning top that often has Hebrew words of “Nes Gadol Haya Sham” which means “A great miracle happened there”. Gifts are also exchanged during each night of the festival.

How is Hanukkah different from other Jewish holidays?

Hanukkah is considered a minor holiday as opposed to the major holidays in the Jewish calendar. Hanukkah, like the other Jewish holidays, commemorates a miracle that happened. It is considered less important than the major holidays of Passover, Shavuot, and Yom Kippur because it does not involve a significant religious observance or ritual. The celebration of Hanukkah is more social in nature and is meant to be a time of joyous celebration and thanksgiving.

In summary, Hanukkah is an eight-day festival that coincides with the Jewish month of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. It traditionally involves the lighting of a menorah each night of the festival, spinning of the dreidel, exchanging of gifts, and special Hanukkah foods. Though it is not a major holiday, it does mark an important event in Jewish history and is meant to be a time of joyous celebration and thanksgiving.

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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.