Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights and the Feast of Dedication, is an eight-day celebration of Jewish history and faith. During the Hanukkah holiday, Jews light a menorah or hanukkiah, spin four-sided dreidels, give and receive gifts, exchange cards, and enjoy traditional foods such as latkes and sufganiyot. The holiday also provides an opportunity to reflect on and appreciate Jewish identity, faith, and history.
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What is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 165 b.c.e. by Judah Maccabee and his followers. The celebration reminds Jews of the miraculous victory over the Syrian-Greeks and the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem.
History of Hanukkah
The Maccabees, a small band of Jewish fighters led by Judah Maccabee, defeated the Syrian-Greeks who had attempted to forcibly Hellenize the Jewish population. When Judah and the Maccabees re-entered the Temple to restore the worship of God, they discovered only enough pure oil to light the menorah or candelabra for one day. According to the Talmud, the oil lasted for eight days, a miracle celebrated at Hanukkah.
Hanukkah Traditions
The eight-day festival of Hanukkah is celebrated by lighting the Hanukkiah, spinning the four-sided top called a dreidel, giving and receiving gelt and gifts, and preparing traditional foods.
Lighting the Menorah
Traditionally, a Hanukkiah—the nine-branched menorah used to celebrate Hanukkah—is lit each evening of the holiday. On each of the first eight nights, an additional candle is added, from the right to the left; in English-speaking countries, this means adding candles from left to right. A ninth candle, called a shamash (a “servant” candle), is lit first and used to light the other candles.
Spinning the Dreidel
Hannukah is famous for the traditional game played with a four-sided spinning top called a dreidel. The four faces of the dreidel are marked with Hebrew letters that form an acronym for “A great miracle happened there” (Nes Gadol Haya Po). Players spin the dreidel and either win or lose a portion of their “stash” of gelt—chocolate coins traditionally given as gifts or as a reward to the winner of a game.
Gifts and Gelt
Giving gifts has become a popular Hanukkah tradition. Even before the holiday was celebrated with presents, Jews offered gelt, coins of chocolate that were distributed to children as a way of fulfilling the commandment to give to the poor.
Hanukkah Foods
The most popular foods eaten during Hanukkah are latkes (fried potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (fried jelly- or custard-filled doughnuts). These special foods are cooked and served in oil to remember the miracle of Hanukkah. In some Sephardic communities, noodles are served to recall the bravery and strength of Judah Maccabee and his followers.
Hanukkah is a holiday steeped in Jewish culture, faith, and history. While it commemorates an ancient victory, it is also a time for Jews to come together and celebrate with family and friends. The holiday provides an opportunity to reflect on the importance of identity, faith, and Jewish culture, and to appreciate the miracle that made Hanukkah possible.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.