▷ What Is Celebrated On Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated in the 8 days leading up to the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. The holiday honors the Jewish victory over their oppressors in the 2nd century BCE and the re-dedication of the Second Temple, a holy site to the Jewish people. Celebrations include displaying decorations, gathering for family meals, lighting candles on the menorah, and exchanging small gifts.

What Is Celebrated On Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is a celebration of miracles and the power of faith. The holiday marks the Jewish liberation from Syrian-Greek forces and Makkabees in the 2nd Century BCE and the re-dedication of the Second Temple by the Makkabees. Through eight nights, families come together to remember this victory over oppression, recall the bravery of the Maccabeans, and celebrate the holiday with its associated rituals.

The first of these rituals is kindling the 8 lights of the menorah. The lights are lit each night with a special blessing for each light. On each night, one candle is added until all eight lights are lit. This symbolizes the miracle of the oil lasting for 8 days.

Traditional Hanukkah Foods

Food has always been an important component of Jewish culture and plays a major role in Hanukkah celebrations. Latkes (potato pancakes) and jelly doughnuts are the most recognizable foods associated with the holiday, symbolizing the ‘miracle of the oil’.

Hanukkah Games And Gifts

Traditionally, Hanukkah gifts are simple yet highly appreciated. Children receive gifts such as small toys, games and money, commonly referred to as ‘gelt’. Gifts may also include small items such as jewelry.

In addition to exchanging gifts, families participate in many interactive activities such as spinning the dreidel. The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top, used in a game of chance with a bowl of nuts, raisins, or pieces of candy. The four sides represent the four Hebrew letters of the phrase Nes Gadol Haya Sham, “A great miracle happened there.”

Hanukkah is a festive holiday that has been celebrated for centuries. The holiday commemorates the victory of the Makkabees over their oppressors and the re-dedication of the Second Temple, a holy site to the Jewish people. The various traditions and rituals associated with the holiday celebrate the miracles that are part of the Hanukkah story. Through gathering with friends and family, exchanging gifts, playing with dreidels, and enjoying traditional Hanukkah foods, families come together to remember the history and causes of celebration that surround the holiday.

Related Products:

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