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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.
But a second miracle is more commonly known: A story in the Talmud (500 years later) tells of a legendary miracle. After the war, When the Jews returned to rededicate the Ancient Temple, they found that there was only enough oil to keep the eternal lamp burning for 1 day. It would take 8 days to make more of this special oil. So the lit the lamp, and it miraculously burned for 8 days, giving them plenty of time to make more oil to keep the lamp burning.
This second miracle is very popular with children. It is understood as a legend only, and appears to be the early Rabbis' attempt to add a spiritual level to the holiday.
The above answer is non-traditional. Our tradition is that the miracle of the oil did indeed occur and isn't just a legend. If it wasn't for the clear tradition of our Sages, Hanukkah would have been forgotten long ago. Moreover, 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 also thank 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 in Judea, such as Sabbath-observance and circumcision, rededicated the Temple to a Greek idol, and pressed the Jews to offer up idolatrous sacrifices. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Hasmoneans (a family of religious Jews) fought to retake the Holy Temple, which had been seized by the Seleucids, and to enable the people to once again observe the Torah. The Hasmoneans (also called Maccabees) were miraculously victorious. When they reached the Temple grounds, they immediately reconsecrated it to God. As part of this action, they relit the Menorah (Exodus ch.25), which was fueled with olive oil. However, it soon became apparent that there was only sufficient oil to keep the candelabra burning for one single day - 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 still dwelt in the Holy Temple. 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 eight-day rededication of the Temple is also mentioned in the book of Maccabees (I, 4:56-59; and II, 1:18); and Josephus mentions the eight-day festival in Antiquities ch.12.
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."
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Is Rihanna Jewish?
Yes, it was discussed in an interview.Jewish people do not celebrate Christmas, Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah. Rihanna celebrates Christmas not Hanukkah, so that would mean that she is not Jewish.No. Rihanna is Christian.
Do people who celebrate Kwanzaa do so in lieu of Christmas or Hanukkah?
No. Kwanzaa is celebrated mainly by African Americans (and African Canadians). The majority of those people are Christian, so they also celebrate Christmas.
Does Santa give gifts to Jew's?
No, Jewish people do not believe in Christ, so they don't celebrate Christmas. They celebrate Hanukkah, and their parents/family bring them gifts.
What do non-Jews do on Hanukkah?
Anyone can celebrate Hanukkah, but Hanukkah is a minor holiday that commemorates the victory of the Jews against the Assyrian-Greeks in the Maccabean War of 165 BCE. So it wouldn't have much significance to a non-Jew.
What do other cultures celebrate instead of Christmas?
There are various traditions that other cultures celebrate instead of Christmas. For Muslims, they celebrate Ramadan, Jews celebrate Hanukkah and so much more.
Why do people not celebrate Hanukkah?
"Instead" implies that one thing is replacing another or that the two are corollaries of one-another. This is not the case. Jews celebrate Hanukkah contemporaneously with Christmas, but these holidays are different in celebration, meaning, and purpose. They have nothing in common other than that they are both in December.Religious Jews ignore Christmas; it is simply not something of any importance to them in much the same way that Christians ignore Hanukkah, Eid al-Adha, or Diwali (which are Jewish, Islamic, and Hindu holidays) because they are not relevant to their tradition. Jews hold that their savior is not yet born, so it would be improper to celebrate the birth of a false Messianic Candidate.
How many people celebrate Hanukkah?
About 95% of Americans celebrate Christmas every year, according to a recent Gallup poll. Additionally, up to 80%+ of non-Christian Americans celebrate the holiday.Using this statistic, and the July 2007 estimate of the United States population of 301,139,947, this would mean that approximately 286,082,975 Americans celebrate Christmas.
What so Hanukkah people eat?
There's no such thing as Hanukkah people. Hanukkah is a holiday that is celebrated by Jewish people. During Hanukkah, we customarily eat latkes (potato pancakes) or jelly donuts.
What does Israel eat for Christmas?
Israel is a country so doesn't eat anything. The Israeli population are Jewish and do not celebrate Christmas so they will eat the same food as any other day.
What is the difference between tradition and culture?
well culture is like Egyptian, american,italian so on so on so on but tradition is like how u celebrate Hanukkah and stuff
Does Germany celebrate Hanukkah any different than the US?
No, except that the German Jewish population is much smaller, so in Germany, it's a more private holiday.
Do orthodox Jews celebrate Hanukah?
Whether they are Orthodox, Conservative or Reform, Jews do not celebrate Christmas. That holiday commemorates the birth of Christ (which originally meant "messiah"). It is Christians, not Jews, who recognize Christ as the messiah, which is why Christmas is part of the Christian religious tradition and not part of the Jewish religious tradition. Sometimes people say that Jews celebrate Hanukkah "instead of" Christmas. That statement may reflect modern appearances, but it isn't historical nor is it accurate. Unlike Christmas, Hanukkah is a minor holiday (actually, it is a festival like Passover, but a minor one). It commemorates a Jewish refusal to assimilate and be like other members of the broader, non-Jewish society and government. For Jews and others to treat Hanukkah as if it were "the Jewish Christmas" is to miss the point.
