▷ Why Do You Celebrate Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is a vibrant annual celebration that has been enjoyed for more than 2,000 years. It is a festival of joy and remembrance that is celebrated for eight nights and days around late November to late December each year. Jews around the world celebrate Hanukkah as a time of reflection and joy, and for many, it marks an opportunity to reinforce Jewish identity and pass cultural traditions on to the next generation.

What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is a Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the Festival of Lights. It is celebrated for eight nights and days, beginning on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar. Hanukkah celebrates several important historical events, most notably the re-dedication of the Second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. During this time, the Maccabees, a group of Jewish freedom fighters, overcome the Greek-Syrians who had targeted the Jews and overtook Jerusalem.

Why Do We Celebrate Hanukkah?

There are a number of reasons why Jews celebrate Hanukkah. The central theme of the holiday is to remember and celebrate the miracle of rededication that occurred during a nine-day battle to take back the Jewish Holy Temple from the control of the Greek-Syrians. The oil lamps, whose flame was meant to last only one day, burned for eight days, leading to the celebration of the miracle of lights that lasted the full eight days. The Talmud teaches that this was a miracle and was the first religious act performed by the Maccabees to rededicate the Second Temple when it came under their control.

In addition, Jews celebrate Hanukkah to remember Jewish faith and traditions. The holiday is a time for people to come together and celebrate with special family dinners, parties, games, and the exchange of gifts. It is also a time to display Hannukiah, a seven branch lit candelabrum, in public places, which serves to remind the world of the miracle of little becoming great.

Symbols of Hanukkah

Some of the symbols that are associated with Hanukkah celebrations are the Hannukiah (the nine branched candelabra), the dreidel (a traditional game), and latkes (fried potato pancakes). Each of these symbols have a special meaning and represent different aspects of the holiday. The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with letters on each side that represent the phrase “A great miracle happened there.” Latkes are fried potato pancakes that symbolize hope in difficult times. And the Hannukiah, the most important symbol of the holiday, is lit each night to represent the miracle of a small jar of oil that miraculously provided enough oil to light the Temple Menorah for eight days.

Hanukkah is an important annual holiday for Jews around the world. The celebration is a reminder of the perseverance of the Maccabees, who fought and won a battle for religious freedom and their right to practice their faith. Hanukkah is also about giving thanks for, and reaffirming, Jewish identity and cultural traditions, and passing them on to the future generations. Through symbols like the Hannukiah, the dreidel and latkes, we remember the events of the past and are reminded to not take our freedom of religion for granted. Hanukkah is a time for family gatherings, parties and celebration that is enjoyed by many around the world.

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