Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah, pronounced han-uh-KAH), also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Jewish people, led by Judah Maccabee, successfully defended it from the Syrians in 165 BCE. In ancient times, Hanukkah was a minor holiday, but today it is one of the most widely celebrated of all Jewish religious festivals.
Hanukkah is celebrated each year for 8 days and nights, starting on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev. It usually occurs in late November or early December on the Gregorian calendar. Traditionally, communities lit one candle in memory of the miracle of the one-day’s worth of oil that burned for eight. An additional candle is added each night of Hanukkah. Aside from thelighting of the candles, there are a few other rituals associated with the festival, including spinning a special top called a dreidel, eating traditional foods such as latkes and jelly doughnuts, and exchanging small gifts of money known as gelt.Why is Hanukkah Celebrated?
Hanukkah is a celebration of the victory of the ancient Jewish people over the tyranny of the Syrian-Greeks. The Jewish people were persecuted and their religious freedom threatened for more than two hundred years until Judah Maccabee and his followers fought and won a miraculous victory in 165 BCE. As part of this victory, Judah Maccabee and the Jews recaptured the Holy Temple and replenished its supply of oil to light the Temple’s menorah (candelabra). According to the Talmud, a Jewish commentary on the Bible, a small jar of oil that was meant to last one day, lasted eight days.
How is Hanukkah Celebrated?
Hanukkah is celebrated in many ways including lighting a nine-branched menorah (candelabra) on each night of the holiday, spinning a dreidel (a four-sided top with a Hebrew letter on each side), and exchanging gifts. On the first night of Hanukkah, a single candle is lit, and each night an additional candle is added until all eight are lit on the eighth night.
Other Rituals:
- Eating Foods Fried in Oil: Hanukkah is a holiday which celebrates the miracle of the oil burning for eight days. To commemorate this, special holiday foods such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) are cooked in oil.
- The Dreidel: Children often play a game called “Dreidel,” which is played with a four sided top called a dreidel. Each of the four sides has a Hebrew letter, and depending on which letter is face up when the dreidel stops spinning, a player might win or lose pieces of a token (usually coins or candy).
- Gelt: On each night of Hanukkah, children are often given a small amount of money called “gelt” to commemorate the Maccabean revolt against tyranny.
Hanukkah is an important Jewish holiday celebrating the victory of the Jewish people and their ability to continue practicing their faith and traditions. It is celebrated annually with the lighting of candles, spinning of a dreidel, eating traditional foods, and exchanging gifts. Hanukkah is a reminder of the importance of religious freedom and the power of faith in the face of adversity.
Related Products:
- When Us Hanukkah?
- What The Hanukkah Story Teaches Us About The Trump Administration?
- Hanukkah Socks Among Us
- Who Was The First Us President To Recognize Hanukkah In The White House?
- What Is The Hanukkah?
- What Is The Holiday Hanukkah?
- When Does Hanukkah Start And How Long Is It Celebrated?
- What Do They Do On Hanukkah?
- What Is Hanukkah Mean?
- When Was Hanukkah Created?
- What Are The Hanukkah Traditions?
- What Is Hanukkah Wikipedia?
- What Is The History Behind Hanukkah?
- When Was Hanukkah Established?
- What Happens During The Eight Days Of Hanukkah?
Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.