What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is an eight day holiday celebrated by Jews, starting on the 25th night of the Jewish month of Kislev. Hanukkah falls in November or December in the western calendar

Hanukkah means 'Dedication' in Hebrew and is also known as the Festival of Lights.

What is the history of Hanukkah?

Hanukkah goes back almost 2,400 years and celebrates the first major rebellion in ancient Jewish history and one of the greatest miracles in Jewish history.

At this time, Israel (then known as Judea) was ruled by Antiochus, a Syrian king who wanted to assimilate the Jews into Greek culture, commanding them to worship Greek gods while outlawing Jewish culture, religion and rituals such as the Sabbath and circumcision.

A small group of Jews led by Judah of Maccabee rebelled, and ultimately liberated Jerusalem and recaptured the Temple of Solomon from the Hellenists.

Judah's followers rededicated the temple by lighting the sacred Menorah, a six or eight-stemmed candelabra, of the temple. Unfortunately, they could only find one small jar of sanctified oil for the Menorah, but the lamp stayed alight miraculously for eight days - enough time for more oil to be found.

Judah decreed that this miracle and the rededication of the Temple should be celebrated by a national holiday. Ever since that time, Jews around the world celebrate Hanukkah by lighting the Menorah - a candelabra with up to eight branches.

The Menorah became not only the symbol of Hanukkah but also the emblem of Judaism itself.

How is Hanukkah celebrated?

In a tradition taking its roots from the miracle of the lamp at the Temple of Solomon, Hanukkah is celebrated by lighting one candle on the Menorah every night until the whole Menorah is lit. As the candle are lit, blessings are recited and those present sing special Hanukkah songs including 'Rock of Ages' ('Maoz Tzur' in Hebrew), a hymn of praise to God.

Similarly to Christmas in the Christian faith, Hanukkah is a special time for Jewish children. The exchange of gifts, Hanukkah money geld (the Yiddish term for money) is a cherished Hanukkah custom. Some families give a small present on each of the eight nights of Hanukkah.

There is also a game played with a special Hanukkah spinning top called a dreidel - a cube-shaped dice has a Hebrew letter on each side. Whichever letter is visible when the top stops spinning wins or loses the person spinning the dreidel a stake - usually sweets, chocolate coins, pennies, nuts or raisins.

It is increasingly common to see Festivals of Light in many towns and cities around the world - not just to celebrate Hanukkah, but also for Christian and other religious festivals in the winter

What foods are eaten during Hanukkah?

As with many other religious festivals, Hanukkah is a great time for feasting and eating delicious foods. Some dishes such as latkes (a kind of potato fritter), pancakes and doughnuts have special significance because they are fried in oil and thus have a strong link to the miracle of the oil lasting eight days in the temple. Fried doughnuts have now also become traditional Christmas treats in many parts of Poland and Germany

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