Hanukkah
When is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah, also called the Festival of Lights, is observed for eight nights. Hanukkah’s dates are based on the Jewish calendar, which is primarily based on the lunar cycle, so each year the dates may differ (it’s typically between November 28th and December 26th – find out when it is each year)
Celebrating Hanukkah
The festival is celebrated by lighting one light of a nine-branched Menorah for each day of the holiday. An extra light, a shamash, is also lit each night for the purpose of lighting all the others. This light is usually located above or below the other lights. The name Hanukkah means “to dedicate” in Hebrew. Hanukkah celebrates the victory of a small army of Jews over the Greek Army that occupied Jerusalem. When they re-dedicated the temple, according to the Talmud, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, the length of time it took to press, prepare, and consecrate fresh olive oil. Therefore, Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days.
Because of the role that oil played in the miracle, oil plays a central role in the holiday’s foods. Latkes (fried potato pancakes) and deep fried doughnuts (known as loukomades, zelebi or sufganiot) are traditional centerpieces of holiday fare. Dairy foods are also eaten to celebrate the bravery of Yehudit, who used cheese to defeat the Greek General Holofernes.
Games
Children typically play dreidel games during Hanukkah. The dreidel, or “sevivon” in Hebrew, dates back to the Greek-Syrian rule over the Holy Land. During this time, a person caught reading the Torah could be punished by death. As such, Jewish children used to hide in caves to study the Torah. If a Greek patrol approached, they’d pull out their tops and pretend to be playing a game. A dreidel is a pointed, four-sided top that spins on its pointed base. Each side has a Hebrew letter printed or embossed on it, forming the acronym of the phrase “Nes gadol hayah sham,” meaning “A great miracle happened there.”
What do you enjoy to eat during the holiday? Let us know below!