Why do people not celebrate Hanukkah?

Answer 1

"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.

Answer 2

Most Jews DO celebrate Hanukkah. There are about 14 million Jews in the world, and it's estimated that more than 80% celebrate Hanukkah.

The reason some Jews don't celebrate Hanukkah is most likely due to assimilation, or the fact that Hanukkah is a minor holiday.

However, it may be noted that the exaggeration of Chanukah's importance in modern times is actually due to assimilation, because that holiday coincides with Christmastime.

Answer 3

Hanukkah was instituted some 165 years before the start of the Christian (Gregorian) calendar. Hanukkah stands on its own merit and has no connection to any Christian occasion.

For more about Hanukkah:

http://judaism.answers.com/jewish-holidays/hanukkah

Answer 4

Hanukkah is not "instead of" Christmas. Hanukkah is its own holiday, with no connection or association with any particular date or event in any other faith or culture outside of Judaism.

It typically takes place some time during the western-calendar-month of December, although in 2013, Hanukkah began on the night of Thanksgiving in November.

You might just as well ask why so many Americans celebrate Election Day so often on November 4th, 'instead of' celebrating my older son's birthday on that date.

Answer 5

There are about 6 million Jews in the U.S., and the majority of them celebrate Hanukkah.

Answer 6

Many people do celebrate Hanukkah. The ones that don't might be a different religion and believe they should celebrate something else.