Judaism Chanukah

Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About… Chanukah: “Light” Judaism

Chanukah always arrives right on tim e – on the 25th day of the H ebrew m onth of Kislev! In 2007, Chanukah begins at sundown on Tuesday D ecem ber 4th. The eighth and final night of Chanukah is Tuesday D ecem ber 12.

The Jewish and general calendars independence as well. As a free nation, Long Ago & Far Away vary from year to year because the they were able to mint their own coins, Chanukah celebrates the first war Jewish calendar is based on the which may be commemorated in the fought for religious freedom. The Jews moon’s cycle, while the general Chanukah gelt. successfully revolted against the Syrian calendar is based on the sun. Jewish Greek empire in the 2nd century B.C.E. holidays begin in the evening Oil’s Well That Ends Well The Greek emperor Antiochus had because the Jewish day begins at Whether it’s latkes (potato pancakes) banned all public and private sundown. that Ashkenazi (of Eastern European observances of Judaism on pain of descent) Jews eat, or sufganiot (jelly death, forced Jews to worship idols and donuts) that Sephardic (of Spanish The Lighter Side eat pork, and desecrated the Holy descent) and Israeli Jews prefer, Temple in Jerusalem with pagan rituals. The major Chanukah observance traditional Chanukah foods recall the A small band of Jews, under the is lighting the menorah to story of the miracle of the oil by cooking commemorate the miracle of the oil. leadership of Matityahu and his five in it. sons, known as the Maccabees, led the The menorah is lit each night of revolt. After three years the Temple was Chanukah after sundown, beginning Top This reclaimed and rededicated to the with one light on the first night, and adding one more each night until After candle lighting, it is customary to worship of one God. The name celebrate with singing, eating and Chanukah, which means dedication in eight are lit on the last night. The Chanukah menorah (also playing games. The most popular game Hebrew, comes from this event. is dreidel (s’vivon in Hebrew)l, a top with The dedication ceremony included called chanukiyah) has spaces for eight candles or oil and wicks plus four-sides, each of which bears a relighting the 7-branched menorah Hebrew letter. The four letters are an (candelabrum or lamp) with pure olive one space for the shammash, the “helper” candle used to light the acronym for the Hebrew phrase oil. The Talmud relates that only one meaning “a great miracle happened uncontaminated container of oil--one others. The candles or oil and wicks are there.” A gambling game, with players day’s supply--could be found. Rather using anything from coins to peanuts, is than wait the 8 days necessary to placed in the menorah beginning from the right as one faces the based on spinning the dreidel and taking produce an ongoing supply, the from or adding to the pot, depending on Maccabees used the one remaining menorah. The shammash is lit and used to light the others, kindling the which letter faces up when the dreidel container to resume the daily Temple falls. services immediately, and, miraculously, lights from left to right so that the newest candle is lit first. Before The dreidel may hark back to the days the oil lasted for eight days. lighting the candles, certain blessings when Torah study was forbidden by the are recited, two on all eight nights, Greeks. According to legend, those who Spell Check and one additional blessing on the studied secretly always kept a dreidel Chanuka? Chanukah? Hanukah? first night only. handy, so that, should Greek soldiers Hannukah? Hanukkah? How is the The lit menorah is usually set in a appear, they could pretend they were holiday’s name spelled?! window to publicly proclaim the merely gambling.

Actually, the correct way is
, miracle of the holiday. which is the Hebrew spelling. The ’Tis The Season various English spellings are phonetic Better To Give . . . The proximity of Chanukah and renderings of the Hebrew, and are The custom of giving gelt (Yiddish Christmas is a coincidence of the “correct” as long as they sound right for money) is an old one, dating back calendar. Each holiday celebrates when pronounced. to eastern Europe. Perhaps the coins distinct historical and religious events

were for playing dreidel (see below); unique to its religion. Chanukah is It’s A Date they may also be a veiled reminder of actually a minor holiday that has grown Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the miracle of the Maccabees’ in importance as a result of the seasonal the Jewish month of Kislev, the day the victory over the mighty Greek armies. festivities. This may also account for the Temple was rededicated in 165 B.C.E., The Maccabees secured not only evolution of giving Chanukah gelt into and lasts eight days. religious freedom, but political gift-giving.

Brought to you by the Lisa F. Brill Institute of Jewish Learning at the M JCCA