Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the victory of the Maccabees and the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Lasting eight days and nights, Hanukkah celebrates light and hope, during times of darkness. This year, Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 11th.
The Story of Hanukkah
The story of Hanukkah takes place over 2,000 years ago, at a time when the Greeks ruled over Egypt, Syria and Palestine. According to the traditional story, the Jewish people of the region adopted the language and many customs of the Hellenistic culture, while being allowed to observe their own religion. But in 175 BCE, when the Greco-Syrian king Antiochus IV ascended to the throne, things changed for the worse. He prohibited the Jewish people from practicing their religion, desecrated the Temple and had many Jews massacred.
In response to this, a revolt was led by Judah Maccabee and his four brothers. Their resistance group became known as the Maccabees, and they were able to drive the Greco-Syrians out of the region after three years of fierce fighting. The Maccabees reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, then set about cleaning and rededicating the Temple. However, they discovered the Greeks had defiled much of the oil in the Temple, which would be needed to light the Menorah, and there was only enough oil left to keep it lit for one day. Yet miraculously, the Menorah remained lit for eight days and nights, enough time for more purified oil to be processed. After this, an eight day festival was declared, commemorating the miracle of the oil.
Hanukkah Traditions
The religious observance related to Hanukkah is the lighting candles on a candelabrum known as a menorah. The menorah holds nine candles, one for each night of Hanukkah, along with a Shamash (servant) candle, which is set at a different height. Each night one candle is lit by the Shamash candle, blessings are given and prayers recited. Psalms are often read after the lighting of the candles and traditional Hanukkah songs may be sung.
Gift giving is not a traditional part of Hanukkah, but in some places people have added it to their celebration. However, it’s usually only the children of one’s own family who will receive gifts.
Playing the dreidel is a popular game associated with Hanukkah. The dreidel is a square top marked on its sides with the four Hebrew letters, nun, gimel, hey and shin, which stands for the phrase Nes Gadol Hayah Shame, meaning a great miracle happened here. The game of dreidel is a gambling game in which people will play for chocolate coins, pennies or other small tokens.
Hanukkah Foods
During the time of Hanukkah, it’s traditional to serve fried and dairy foods. The fried foods cooked in oil are in remembrance of the oil that burned for eight days in the Temple. Dairy foods are served in memory of the Jewish heroine Judith. According to legend, Judith saved her village which was being attacked by the Syrians. She gave wine and cheese to the Syrian general, who eventually became drunk and passed out. After he collapsed, Judith took his sword, beheaded him, and returned to her village with the head in a basket. When the Syrians attacked her village the next morning, they saw the head of their general and fled in terror.
Some popular foods associated with Hanukkah are potato pancakes known as latkes, and deep fried, jelly-filled donuts known as sufganiyot.
Hanukkah is a rather minor holiday in the Jewish year, but it has gained in popularity over the years, possibly because of its proximity to Christmas and other December holidays.
