▷ Which Night Of Hanukkah Is Tonight?

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt. Every night of Hanukkah, a special candle, called the shamash, is lit to signal the start of religious ceremonies. During the eight nights of this holiday, many Jewish families celebrate by gathering together to recite prayers, play games, and eat special foods. As Hanukkah progresses, the traditional candles are lit from right to left until the final night when all eight candles are lit simultaneously. This leaves many people wondering, “Which night of Hanukkah is tonight?”

Table of Contents

1 How to Know Which Night of Hanukkah Is Tonight?

How to Know Which Night of Hanukkah Is Tonight?

In short, the answer to the question of which night of Hanukkah is tonight is really quite simple. Each night of Hanukkah becomes the same as the one before it over the course of eight days. To determine the night of Hanukkah that one is on, really all one needs to know is which day of Hanukkah started.

Starting Night

Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, which corresponds roughly to November or December in the Gregorian calendar. As Kislev is a lunisolar calendar, the dates for Hanukkah change every year, which means that it is important to note which day it begins on.

Subsequent Nights

Once the starting night of Hanukkah is known, the rest of the days of Hanukkah fall into place. Every night builds upon the one before, with no break, which is why it is a festival of eight nights. Thus, the answer to the question “which night of Hanukkah is tonight?” is simply the night that was before it plus one.

Practical Tips

There are several methods one can use to determine which night of Hanukkah is tonight:

Calendars: Most synagogues and Jewish organizations put out calendars with all the holidays and celebrations marked alongside the Gregorian calendar. Health and fitness apps will often provide this information too.
Tradition: The Jewish tradition of placing chocolate coins, which represent the money used by the Maccabees to rebuild the temple, into a bowl and counting down each night one by one is a great way for families to remember which night of Hanukkah it is.
Digital calendars: With the advent of digital calendars, Hanukkah can be remembered much easier. Most digital calendars have an option to sync Jewish holidays and many apps now feature Hanukkah-specific updates and reminders.

In conclusion, it is not hard to figure out which night of Hanukkah is tonight. All one needs to know is the starting night of Hanukkah, then the answer is likely only a few clicks away. Whether it’s by way of a physical calendar, a digital calendar, or just as a part of their yearly tradition, people can easily keep up with this yearly celebration of light.

Related Products:

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