- Tell Hanukkah stories when you sit by the menorah. As you relax with your family around the menorah, you can share the story of how Hanukkah started to explain ...
- Recite the Al Hanisim liturgy during daily prayers and grace after meals. ...
- Spin a dreidel if you want to play a fun game. ...
- Give small gifts to children each weeknight. After lighting the menorah, hand out gelt, or small gifts, to any children in your household.
- Donate extra to charity if you’re able to. If you already give money, give out a little extra each day during Hanukkah to show your appreciation and to spread ...
- Attend a public menorah lighting if you want to spend time with others. ...
What are activities that they do in Hanukkah?
Hanukkah activities for preschoolers and toddlers. 1. Make a sensory menorah for toddlers, says author Aviva Brown. Image via Aviva Brown. 2. Make recycled dreidel paper dolls. 3. Practice writing the Hebrew letters that appear on the dreidel: nun, gimmel, hei, and shin. 4.
What is Hanukkah and why do we celebrate it?
What is the Story of Hanukkah?
- The Temple is defiled. Antiochus Epiphanes, after defeating Ptolemy the king of Egypt, attacked Israel and defiled the Temple.
- Matthathias and his sons fight back. By this time, Mattathias, a priest, and his five sons – Joannan, Simon, Judas also known as Maccabeus, Eleazar, and Jonathan, had to do ...
- Hanukkah is established. ...
What are some things people do for Hanukkah?
While some give a number of gifts each night, many choose a slightly different approach:
- Many families give Hanukkah gelt on the first day of Hanukkah. Gelt is foil-wrapped chocolate money which often comes in a gold-colored mesh bag. ...
- Some families give money rather than gifts for Hanukkah. ...
- Many families give small gifts on each of the first seven nights of Hanukkah, with a single large gift given on the last day of the holiday.
What are some special things about Hanukkah?
🕯️ 11 Holy Facts about Hanukkah
- Why do people celebrate Hanukkah? Hanukkah commemorates the triumph of a small group of Jews known as the Maccabees who fought against the Greeks. ...
- Oil is very significant. To celebrate their victory, they lit an oil lamp. ...
- The Menorah is an important fixture. ...
- It’s a lot of family fun. ...
- Oil has a firm place in the cooking, too! ...
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What do you do on the first day of Hanukkah?
The first night of Hanukkah, Jews recite three blessings and two on the remaining days. After lighting the menorah, Jews will sing Hanerot Halalu, a hymn with many variations across cultures. But the main theme consists of addressing the reasons for lighting the menorah and giving thanks and praise to God.
How do they celebrate Hanukkah?
Hanukkah, which means “dedication” in Hebrew, begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in November or December. Often called the Festival of Lights, the holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games and gifts.
What are 3 traditions of Hanukkah?
Take part in Chanukah traditions such as lighting the menorah, playing the dreidel game, eating gelt, cooking and baking delicious food, and enjoying the fun of Hanukkah gifts.
What food is eaten on Hanukkah?
10 Best Traditional Hanukkah FoodsLatkes.Beef brisket.Roasted chicken.Kugel.Matzo ball soup.Rugelach.Sufganiyot (Jelly-Filled Doughnuts)Challah.More items...•
What are the 8 days of Hanukkah for?
Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew. The eight-day holiday celebrates the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem after it was retaken by the Maccabees, a group of Jewish warriors, from the Greeks in the 2nd century BCE, as explained by Tablet magazine.
What are 3 interesting facts about Hanukkah?
Hanukkah: 8 facts to know about the holiday, from the menorah oil to the history and foodHanukkah lasts for eight nights to commemorate how long the holy light burned. ... A menorah is lit each night of the holiday. ... The word 'Hanukkah' means 'dedication' ... The many spellings. ... The dreidel is based on a German gambling game.More items...•
What are 4 popular foods at Hanukkah?
Hanukkah FoodsBrisket. Brisket is enjoyed during many Jewish holidays besides Hanukkah, such as Rosh Hashanah and Passover. ... Latkes. Latkes, also known as potato pancakes, are made from shallow-fried shredded or mashed potatoes. ... Kugel. ... Sufganiyot. ... Hanukkah Gelt.
How do you celebrate Feast of Dedication?
Jewish families gather to say prayers and light candles on a special candelabra called a menorah. Typically, special holiday foods are served, songs are sung, games are played, and gifts are exchanged.
What is the significance of Hanukkah?
Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 160s BC. After outlawing the Jewish religion and Jewish practices, then-King Anti ochus IV decreed that Jews must worship Greek gods in the Temple. Eventually, Jewish priest Mattahias, his son Judah Maccabee, and their army (creatively called The Maccabees) revolted, ultimately forcing Antiochus IV out of Judea. Maccabee and his followers reclaimed the Temple and rebuilt the altar.
How many nights does the Miracle of Hanukkah last?
Thus: the Miracle of Hanukkah. That’s why the celebration lasts eight nights. Although most people use the word menorah in the context of Hanukkah, what observers are actually lighting is called a hanukkiah (ha-noo-kee-ah). It looks very similar to a menorah with eight prongs, but has a ninth candle, the Shamash, used to light the other candles. ...
What is the meaning of the menorah in Hanukkah?
You may have heard Hanukkah referred to as “The Festival of Lights” and might already be familiar with a menorah. Menorahs have long been a symbol used in Judaism, and when the altar was rebuilt by Maccabee and co., part of that included relighting the menorahs.
When is Hanukkah in DC?
This year, Hanukkah will begin at sundown on December 22 and last until sundown on December 30.
What are the holy days of Judaism?
Often referred to as the High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) both in the fall, are considered two of the most sacred holidays.
Is Hanukkah a Jewish holiday?
Despite what some holiday movies will have you believe, Hanukkah is not the Jewish equivalent of Christmas , nor is it an insurmountably difficult holiday to learn about. If you’re curious, here are a few basic questions many non-Jews (and even some Jews!) have about the holiday:
Do Jews celebrate Hanukkah?
While for centuries many Jews have observed Hanukkah by lighting the hanukkiah, saying certain prayers, and eating certain foods, the all-out Hanukkah celebrations Americans are used to is a relatively new phenomenon.
What are the ritual objects of Hanukkah?
Ritual objects associated with Hanukkah include the menorah and the dreidel. dreidel סְבִיבוֹן "Spinning top" in Yiddish (derived from German); "sevivon" in Hebrew; toy used in a children's Hanukkah game. .
How long is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah, a joyous celebration of family, freedom, and light, is a holiday primarily celebrated at home, beginning on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev (usually falling in December) and lasting for eight days. At what is the coldest, darkest time of the year for many people, we celebrate by bringing light ...
What is the name of the toy used in the Hanukkah menorah?
In ancient times, oil was used in the menorah. Over time, candles were substituted for oil . The Hanukkah menorah can also be called a hanukkiyah . The word dreidel derives from a German word meaning “spinning top,” and is the toy used in a Hanukkah game adapted from an old German gambling game.
How many candles are needed for Hanukkah?
Preparing for the Holiday. To prepare to celebrate Hanukkah at home, you will need candles and a Hanukkah menorah with nine candle holders (also called a hanukkiyah ), or, as is the custom in some families, one menorah for each member of the family.
What is the mitzvah of Hanukkah?
So the actual mitzvah, or commandment, of Hanukkah is to kindle the Hanukkah lights at home, ideally with family and friends! Blessings are recited when lighting the candles, which are held in a nine-branched menorah. menorah מְנוֹרָה Seven- or nine-branched candelabra; commonly refers to the nine-branched Hanukkah lamp; plural: menorot.
How many branches are there in the Menorah?
The nine branches include eight branches, one for each day of the holiday, and one branch for the shamash.
Where is the candle placed on the menorah?
Here’s what you need to know: When the menorah is facing you, the candle for the first night is placed in the right-most holder of the eight-branched menorah and the shamash. shamash שַׁמָּשׁ Helper candle used to light the other candles in a menorah.
What is the Jewish prayer for Hanukkah?
Jews. During Hanukkah, an additional prayer, Al Hanisim ( “for the miracles”), which expresses thanks to God for the Jews’ miraculous deliverance, is added to the Birkat Hamazon (Grace after Meals) and the Amidah (standing or silent prayer). Jewish law prohibits work for one hour after candle lighting.
What are the blessings of Hanukkah?
Hanukkah Blessings. Both Ashkenazi Jews (Jews of Eastern European descent) and Sephardic Jews (Jews of Spanish or Mediterranean descent) recite two blessings each night, which affirm the commandment to kindle the Hanukkah lights and recall the Hanukkah miracle. An additional blessing said on the first night of most Jewish festivals, ...
How many lights are there in the Menorah?
Hence every menorah has a ninth light, the shamash, or “helper,” whose purpose is to provide light and to kindle the other candles. The candles, lit after sunset, are traditionally supposed to burn at least one-half hour after nightfall. On Friday nights, the Hanukkah lights are kindled before the Shabbat candles.
Where are the menorah lights lit?
Because the purpose of these Hanukkah lights is the public proclamation of the Hanukkah miracle, the menorah is traditionally lit in a place where the candles can be seen from out of doors, near a window or a doorway.
What is the atmosphere of Hanukkah?
Hanukkah’s festive atmosphere derives almost entirely from home ritual and customs and is dominated by light as a metaphor for spiritual freedom. This is emphasized by special holiday songs, games, and foods.
How many candles are added to Hanukkah?
These lights, which can either be candles or tiny oil cups with floating wicks, grow in strength during the eight days of Hanukkah, with the addition of one candle or lighted wick each night. One light is added each night to fulfill the concept of lo moridim ba-kodesh (one does not decrease in holiness).
What is the meaning of the holiday of Hanukkah?
Falls in the Hebrew month of Kislev, which usually corresponds with December.#N#as a holiday of “praise and thanksgiving” in commemoration of the miraculous overthrow of the Syrian Greeks, the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, and the single cruse of oil that lasted eight days . Hanukkah’s festive atmosphere derives almost entirely from home ritual and customs and is dominated by light as a metaphor for spiritual freedom. This is emphasized by special holiday songs, games, and foods.
What is Hanukkah?
The Jewish Festival of Lights commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Maccabees after it was destroyed by the Syrians. The eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights” is celebrated with nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods, according to chabad.org.
Hanukkah in 2021 dates
This year, Hanukkah is celebrated from Sunday, Nov. 28 to Monday, Dec. 6.
Customs and Observances
Ritual Objects
- Ritual objects associated with Hanukkah include the menorah and the dreideldreidelסְבִיבוֹן"Spinning top" in Yiddish (derived from German); "sevivon" in Hebrew; toy used in a children's Hanukkah game.. Menorah is a Hebrew word meaning “candelabrum” and sometimes refers to the nine-branched ceremonial lamp in which the Hanukkah candles are plac…
Music
- For many families and communities, singing is a particularly joyous part of Hanukkah celebrations. There are many traditional and contemporary songs for the holiday, and videos and recordings are widely available online. “Maoz Tzur” (“Rock of Ages”) is customarily sung after the lighting of the candles each night, and at other times throughout the holiday. It was composed i…
Food
- Latkeslatkeלְבִיבָה"Pancake" (Yiddish); fried potato pancake often eaten on Hanukkah; plural: latkes. and sufganiyotsufganiyotסֻפְגָּנִית"Jelly doughnuts;" traditionally eaten in Israel during Hanukkah; singular: sufganiyah.—foods cooked in oil—are customarily eaten during Hanukkah and serve as a symbol of the legend of the jar of oil that lasted f...
Synagogue Rituals
- Inclusions in our worship services held during Hanukkah are the additions of the Al HaNisim (“for the miracles”) passage in the AmidahAmidahעֲמִידָהLiterally, “standing.” A central prayer of the worship service, often recited privately. A chain of blessings in which the first three and final three are always the same, and the intermediate blessings change based on the day (i.e., Shabbat, we…
Preparing For The Holiday
- To prepare to celebrate Hanukkah at home, you will need candles and a Hanukkah menorah with nine candle holders (also called a hanukkiyah), or, as is the custom in some families, one menorah for each member of the family. (For those living in places where open flames aren’t allowed or are unsafe, or those who are traveling, electric menorahs are widely available.) You also can decide …
Lighting The Hanukkah Candles
- From one Hanukkah to the next, it can be a challenge to remember in which direction to add candles and in which direction to light them. Here’s what you need to know: When the menorah is facing you, the candle for the first night is placed in the right-most holder of the eight-branched menorah and the shamashshamashשַׁמָּשׁHelper candle used to light the other candles in a meno…