This Saturday, December 8th marks the first of eight days of Hanukkah! Hanukkah, which can also be spelled Chanukah, is celebrated on 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. The holiday is observed by progressively lighting each arm of the Menorah at sunset. In the religious sense, Hanukkah is not as significant as the High Holidays or other Jewish celebrations, but it has become an important part of the Jewish identity, especially in North America. Besides lighting the Menorah, Hanukkah rituals are both family based and communal – there are special additions to the daily prayer service and the blessing before a meal, and many families exchange gifts, but it is not celebrated like the Sabbath and adherents go to work and school as usual.
The events that inspired Hanukkah took place around 2,000 years ago! In 200 B.C Judea, also known as the land of Israel, came under the control of control of Antiochus III, the Seleucid king of Syria. He allowed Jews who lived there to continue to practice their religion, but his son, Antiochus IV Epiphanes wasn’t as accommodating. In 167 B.C he outlawed Jewish rituals and built an alter to Zeus in the Temple in Jerusalem. His actions provoked a rebellion lead by the Jewish priest Mattathias and after he died, his son, Judah Maccabee. By 165 B.C the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid Empire was successful. The Temple was liberated and rededicated and the festival of Hanukkah, meaning “to dedicate” was instituted to celebrate this event. According to the Talmud, the Jewish holy book, Judah Maccabee and the other Jews who took part in the rededication of the Temple saw the Menorah’s flames burn for eight nights, despite there being only a little oil. Early Jewish elders then proclaimed the “dedication” or Hanukkah to be celebrated for eight days.
Today, foods fried in oil like the potato pancake latkes and jelly filled sufganiyot are eaten to commemorate this miracle. On each of the eight nights a candle is added to the Menorah, the ninth candle in the middle called the shamash (“helper”) is used to light the others.
This year, Hanukkah will be celebrated December 8 – 16, 2012. If you take part in the holiday, make sure to include your visitor! Share any Hanukkah stories with Global Immersions, and enjoy the holidays!
source: wikipedia, history.com
