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Learn About The History And Traditions Of Hanukkah
Hanukkah or The Festival of Lights is the Jewish celebration of Gods blessing upon the people of Moses. On each night of Hanukkah, a menorah is lit to symbolize the Jewish victory over the Syrian armies in 165 B.C. Ancient menorahs were made out of clay and bear only a passing resemblance to modern day menorahs which are based on the Holy Temple menorah and began to appear in homes during the Middle Ages.
Hanukkah begins on the twenty fifth day of the Jewish month of Kislev. Since the Jewish calendar is based primarily on the lunar cycle, its dates may fluctuate, which means that the first date of Hanukkah can occur any day between November 28th and December 26th.
The most important ritual according to Jewish law and custom is to light a single light on the menorah for each of the eight days of Hanukkah. According to tradition, the lights can also be oil lamps or candles, and in some cases, electric lights, when open flames are not accessible or permitted, such as hospital rooms. Hanukkah lights are meant to be placed in a prominent window so that people passing by the house will see them and be reminded of Hanukkah.
Other traditions include eating foods fried in oil, since the original miracle of the Hanukkah involved the discovery of olive oil that had been used by the Jewish High Priest, which was supposed to last only one day, but lasted eight. Latkes, or potato pancakes are common, as well as fruit filled doughnuts and all Kosher foods. Hanukkah games, like spinning the dreidel, are also common. The dreidel is a small wooden top with four sides, and each side is imprinted with a different Hebrew letter. Together, these letters area an acronym for the Hebrew words that mean a great miracle took place here, referring to the miracle of the oil. Another tradition is the distribution of gelt, or Hanukkah money, to children.
Hanukkah is an important holiday in Jewish tradition, and is celebrated by families all over the world. It is not as important in terms of religious significance, as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or other holidays, but its proximity to Christmas has caused it to gain importance, and some Jewish families integrate traditions of Christmas into their Hanukkah celebrations, while others prefer to keep the two distinctly separate. In any case, it is common to see Happy Hanukkah cards sold and given at around the same time that people traditionally exchange Christmas cards. However the holiday is celebrated, its ancient origins are still visible today in its traditions.
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