Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights and the Celebration of Dedication, is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated with great admiration across the globe. It marks the eight-day period in which Jews commemorate the reclaiming and rededication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem from the Syrian-Greeks more than two thousand years ago. Hanukkah is also commonly known as Chanukah, through the Hebrew spelling of the same name.
The Hebrew name Hanukkah, which is commonly spelled Chanukah in English, actually comes from the Hebrew verb “chinuch” meaning “to dedicate.” It is thought that the holiday takes this name due to the reclaiming and rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees after the Syrian-Greeks had taken it over and the Jews were not allowed to practice their religion while under their rule. The rededication of the Temple to Judaism, an act of religious freedom, led to an eight-day celebration that is commemorated to this day.
During the period of the Temple’s rededication, the Maccabees were trying to relight the Menorah, which is the seven branched lamp erected in the Temple. Miraculously, the only vial of pure olive oil that they could find had enough oil to last for just one day, though it lasted for the duration of the full eight days of rededication. To this day, a single-branched candle stick with eight candles is lit on each night of Hanukkah to symbolize the miraculous light that shone throughout the entire time period of the rededication.
In addition to the religious celebration of Hanukkah, it is also an important cultural holiday. It is an opportunity for families to come together and exchange gifts, cook traditional Jewish dishes, engage in storytelling, and teach the history of the holiday to the younger generations. Traditional Hanukkah games such as dreidel spinning, in which players use a top with Hebrew letters on each side to gamble for plastic coins or chocolate coins, also become a part of the festivities each and every year.
The celebration of Chanukah, also known as Hanukkah, is a time of joy and religious dedication, with its origins firmly rooted in the reclaiming and rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem more than two thousand years ago. It symbolizes the religious freedom of the Jewish community and the miracle of the Menorah lighting, which celebrated the period of the rededication. To this day, many traditional customs and activities are still carried out, ensuring that this important holiday is celebrated with admiration each and every year.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.