This year, Hanukkah begins at nightfall on December 7th and ends at nightfall on December 15th. Hanukkah falls on a different day each year as the Hebrew calendar is based on the lunar cycle. Hanukkah, also spelled “Chanukah”, is an eight-day winter festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and subsequent rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean revolt. Also known as the Feast of Dedication or the feast of the Maccabees, it was instated by Judas Maccabees in 165 BCE.
The term Hanukkah means “inauguration” or “dedication.” It has both religious and non-religious components to its celebration. Non-religious customs associated with Hanukkah include festive meals, songs, games and gifts to children. Latkes (potato pancakes), sufganiyot (doughnuts), and other treats fried in oil are popular. This is to celebrate the miracle of the oil. Children receive presents and Hanukkah gelt (gifts of money), distributed in the form of chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil. Card playing is common and children play a game with a dreidel, a four-sided top. On each side of the dreidel is a Hebrew letter, forming the initials of the words in the phrase nes gadol haya sham, meaning, “a great miracle happened here”.
One of the most important customs, well known to those who do not celebrate, is the lighting of the Menorah. The Menorah is a candelabrum with eight branches accompanied by a holder for the shamash (servant) candle that is used to light the other eight candles. The miracle of Hanukkah is that only one vial of oil was found with just enough oil to illuminate the Temple lamp for one day, and yet it lasted for eight full days.
Please join the EDI committee in wishing Hanukkah Sameach to those who celebrate!
More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah
Sincerely,
The Mind Forward EDI Committee