How is Hanukkah Celibrated in Israel?

Answer 1

The main spots for Christianity are Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Ariel those have the largest populations of Christians. Those Christians generally celebrate Christmas with large family gatherings and mass in the Churches of the Nativity, Assumption, and Holy Sepulchre. There are approximately 195,000 Palestinian Christians and about 12,000 messianic Jews. Also, there are many Russian-born Israelis who celebrate Christmas.

Answer 2:

Christmas is just like any other weekday in Israel. Since over 90% of the population is Jewish or Muslim (neither of which celebrate Christmas), people go to work on Christmas. Schools are in session, and banks and businesses are open as usual. This is the case throughout the Middle East and in most of Asia as well.

Answer 2

It's celebrated the same as it is outside of Israel, except that Hanukkiot (Hanukkah-menorahs) are displayed in public places, and there is no emphasis on gift-giving (at least in Orthodox homes).

Answer 3

Tu B'Shvat is the 'new year for the trees' or a holiday celebrated on the 15th of the Jewish month of Shvat. It is one of the four new years that are specified in the Jewish Oral Law. It is customary to eat fruits on this day in what is known as a Tu Bishvat seder - an organized meal filled with symbolism. The types of fruits usually eaten are dried fruits and nuts, especially figs, dates, raisins, carob, and almonds. These are fruits that are known to grow in the land of Israel. Also, it is customary to plant trees at this time. The Jewish National Fund has a tree-planting program in Israel. This is also the time of year when the almond tree begins to blossom in Israel.

Answer 4

Hanukkah is a minor holiday that commemorates the victory of the Jews against the Syrian-Greeks in the Maccabean War of 165 BCE.

The real miracle of Hanukkah is that the Jews were victorious, against all odds, they beat their enemy and were able to restore the Ancient Temple in Jerusalem, which had been desecrated by the Greeks. In a larger context, Hanukkah represents victory against religious persecution and assimilation.

Answer:

On Hanukkah the chief celebration is not for the military victory; it's for the miracle of the oil (Talmud, Shabbat 21b). As an augmentation to the celebration of that miracle, we alsothank God during Hanukkah for the Hasmoneans' miraculous military victories (during which they ousted the Seleucids and their lackeys, the Hellenizing Jews, making possible the rededication of the Temple).

The Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) under Antiochus Epiphanes (2nd century BCE), at the instigation of the Hellenizers, had forbidden various Torah-practices such as Sabbath-observance and circumcision, rededicated the Temple to a Greek idol, and pressed the Jews to offer up sacrifices to the idol. One of the leading elder Jewish sages called upon the people to keep observing the Torah anyway; and if necessary, to use force in resisting the decrees. When a Hellenized Jew offered a sacrifice to the Greek idols in a nearby village, the sage killed him as well as the Greek overseer. This brought a violent reaction from the Greeks; and the loyal Jews, led by the Hasmonean family, were forced to retreat from their towns and strike out at the Greeks in an attempt to oust them from the Holy Land and to enable the people to once again observe the Torah. The Torah-Jews were heavily outnumbered by the attacking Greek armies, but God gave them miraculous victories again and again. After three years of struggle, the Greek armies retreated from Jerusalem, and the Hasmoneans (also called Maccabees) entered the Holy Temple which the Greeks had defiled, reconsecrated it to God, and began the Temple service once more. Among other things, they wanted to relight the olive oil candelabrum (Exodus ch. 25), but could only find one day's supply of undefiled oil - and it would take eight days to make and bring some more.

Miraculously, the menorah stayed lit for eight days (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), allowing enough time for new oil to be prepared and brought. The significance of the miracle is that it demonstrated that God's presence was still there. The Torah-community was overjoyed, because God's presence meant everything to them.

This is what Hanukkah represents: the closeness to God; and the avoidance of Hellenization (assimilation).

The Torah Sages instituted the festival of Hanukkah at that time (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), to publicize the miracle (Rashi commentary, ibid). This is why we light our Hanukkah-menorahs.

(The Hanukkah-menorah, or hanukkiyah, is a special form of the original seven-branched menorah. Our Hanukkah-menorahs have eight spaces for oil, or candles, to mark each of the eight days for which the oil lasted and a ninth to hold the shamash, a candle used to light the others.)

The Al-Hanisim prayer which we recite during Hanukkah centers around the Hasmoneans' victory and rededication of the Temple, while the candle-lighting commemorates the miracle of the oil.

Though the military victory is prominently mentioned in the prayers, it wouldn't have been celebrated if not for the miracle of the oil, just as we have no special occasion to mark Abraham's victory (Genesis ch.14), or those of Moses (Numbers ch.21), Joshua, Deborah (Judges ch.4), Gideon (Judges ch.6-7), Jephthah (Judges ch.11), or King David. And though the Hasmonean battles continued for two decades after the retaking of the Temple, the Sages instituted Hanukkah immediately after the miracle of the oil.

It should also be noted that the main goal for which the Maccabees fought was not political independence. They fought to enable the people to observe the Torah's commandments; as we say in the Al Hanisim prayer: "the Greeks sought to cause us to forget Your Torah and leave Your statutes."

Answer 5

Christians in Israel celebrate Christmas, just as Christians everywhere else in the

world do, and it's a time of heavy Christian tourism to Israel, to visit the sites that

figure significantly in the Christmas narrative. You have to understand, though,

that in a nation whose population is more than 50% Jewish, Christmas is not going

to permeate the atmosphere as it does in the US and other majority-Christian

countries.

Israel has no official state religion, and no official religious national holidays. Christians

are a minority in Israel, but that does not mean that their rights to practice their religion

are curtailed ... of all people, Jews know what thatsmells like.

Although Jews don't celebrate Christmas, Israeli police and military are posted at the

Christian holy sites, to protect the security of the Christian pilgrims and avoid disruption

of their worship.

Answer 6

The same as wherever else that Jews live.

The Jewish Sabbath is from Friday sundown until Saturday after twilight.The origin of the Shabbat is in the Torah (Genesis ch.2, Leviticus ch.23, Exodus ch.20 and many other passages). Since the Sabbath is a day blessed by God (Genesis ch.2), he gave it to the Israelites as a treasured gift to be cherished (Talmud, Beitzah 15b). It is a day of rest (Exodus ch.20, ch.31), and a day of strengthening ties with the family, the community, and with God

There are two main aspects to Shabbat observance: what we do and what we don't do.
What we don't do: we're not permitted to work on the Shabbat (Exodus ch.20). This includes 39 categories of productive interaction with the world, such as planting, writing, kindling fire, etc. (Talmud, Shabbat 73b). (See: More about Shabbat-observance.)
What we do: candles are lit, customarily by the lady of the household, around 20 minutes before sunset on Friday afternoon. We then attend synagogue for the Friday afternoon prayer (mincha), the kabbalat Shabbat (ushering in of the Shabbat), and the Shabbat evening prayer (maariv), consecutively.
On Shabbat morning, we again attend synagogue. The services are longer than on weekdays and include prayers as well as reading the weekly Torah-portion.

There's often a kiddush (refreshments) afterwards, and congregants then have a chance to schmooze (to talk). Towards the late afternoon, there's another (short) service (Shabbat mincha).

After Friday night services and on Shabbat morning after services, we come home, often with guests, make kiddush (blessing over wine), and have a leisurely multi-course Shabbat meal including singing and words of Torah. Customarily, that week's Torah-reading (parsha) will be a topic of conversation; and the children of the family will be asked to speak of what they've learned in school.

After that, Shabbat is a quiet time: no phones, radio or TV (etc.), just schmoozing, taking walks, visiting friends, reading, learning Torah, playing Board Games, etc.

Husband and wife, in particular, finally have a chance to be together after a hectic week.

Answer 7

In Israel, Hanukkah is celebrated the same as everywhere else: by lighting a candle holder, called a menorah or Chanukiyyah. They also sing songs, eat chocolate coins, and play a game called dreidel ("Sevivon" in Hebrew).

Traditional foods are foods fried in oil, particularly sufganiot (donuts).

Answer 8

Israel celebrates Christmas by making Arts and Crafts and they build a hut with a leafy open roof. People in israel could be Jewish or Christian.

Answer 9

Almost like outside of Israel, except that in Israel, they light their menorahs outside.

Answer 10

the same as everywhere else.