Hanukkah
A Primer for Nonpractitioners
Overview
[Source: Quoted from ReformJudiasm.org]
"Hanukkah (alternately spelled Chanukah), meaning "dedication" in Hebrew, commemorates the victory of a small group of Jewish rebels (led by Judah Maccabee and his brothers, collectively known as “the Maccabees”) over the armies of Syria in 165 B.C.E. and the subsequent liberation and "rededication" of the Temple in Jerusalem. Modern celebrations of Hanukkah focus on family and friends and include the lighting of the Hanukkah menorah (also called a hanukkiyah); singing and playing special songs and games (dreidel); and eating foods prepared in oil including latkes, sufganiyot, bimuelos (fried dough puffs) and keftes de prasas (leek patties)."
Dates
Winter, date varies. In 2024, Hanukkah begins on December 25 and finishes at sunset on January 2 in the United States.
Focus
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Lifting up trust
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Celebrating miracles
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Today, there is also a focus on charitable work.
Stories and Figures
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The Lamp in the Temple
Common Customs
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Playing dreidel
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Chocolate coins
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Eating fried latkes or jelly donuts
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Lighting a candle on the Menorah each night during Hanukkah
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