Hanukkah is an eight-day kosher festival in Judaism, observed to commemorate the re-dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Celebrated from the 25th of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, Hanukkah starts on a different day in the Western calendar each year, always falling between the end of November and the end of December. In this article, we’ll explore what Hebrew month Hanukkah is celebrated.
When Is Hanukkah Celebrated in the Hebrew Calendar?
Hanukkah is celebrated according to the Hebrew calendar, which generally runs from September until August of the following year. The 25th of Kislev marks the beginning of Hanukkah and it is celebrated for 8 days before concluding on the 2nd or 3rd of Tevet. Thus, the Hebrew month in which Hanukkah is celebrated is Kislev.
In 2020, the last day of Hanukkah falls on Thursday, December 10th. However, since the Hebrew calendar does not conform to the Gregorian calendar and each year different dates are calculated for both, the dates of Hanukkah could be different next year or the year after that.
How Do The Dates Change?
The Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar, while the Hebrew calendar is a lunar-solar calendar. While regular years occur in the Gregorian calendar, the Hebrew calendar has leap years, causing the dates to fluctuate. For this reason, Hanukkah is rarely celebrated on the same date each year, instead falling on different dates from one year to the next.
Other Considerations to Take Into Account
Certain other parameters have to be taken into account when calculating the dates of Hanukkah, as the Hebrew calendar works on a 19 year cycle. The cycle consists of:
- 12 months of 29 days each
- One month of 30 days
- 7 leap years out of every 19 years, with a leap month of 30 days
Depending on the leap month, the beginning of Hanukkah can fall in either Kislev or Tevet. Separate rules or calculations are used to determine when the leap year comes into effect and therefore it is always possible to calculate in advance the date upon which Hanukkah will take place each year.
In summary, Hanukkah is celebrated according to the Hebrew calendar, beginning on the 25th of Kislev. The date varies from year to year depending on leap years and the 19 year cycle, with the 2020 Hanukkah falling from the 10 to the 18th of December. Knowledge of the Hebrew calendar and its cycle is therefore required to accurately calculate the dates of Hanukkah each year.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.