Hanukkah Overview

Answer 1

Hanukkah, sometimes spelled Chanukkah, is the Jewish holiday that takes place between late November and late December on the Gregorian calendar. Since it is based on the Jewish calendar, which is lunar based, the holiday does not take place on the same day every year. Hanukkah celebrates the re-dedication of the holy temple in Jerusalem in 165 B.C. Hanukkah is also sometimes referred to as the Festival of Lights. Since Jewish tradition goes back many thousands of years, when the Old Testament and Talmud were written, Hanukkah is not considered a very ancient holiday by Jews. Nor is it as holy as many other Jewish holidays, such as Rosh Hoshana or Yom Kippur. Hanukkah is often considered more of a secular holiday and is today often assimilated with Christmas in what has come to be called the "holiday season." Hanukkah is celebrated in several ways. One of the most popular customs is to light a menorah for 8 days. One candle is lit each day until all of them are lit. These menorahs are often visible in the windows and in public displays during this time of year. Another common practice is to spin the dreidel, a 4-sided top with Hebrew letters written on each side. Presents are also exchanged during Hanukkah. During this holiday, it is traditional to eat fried foods to celebrate the gift of oil. Latke, a kind of potato pancake, is especially popular. Because Hanukkah usually falls near Christmas on the calendar, it is often included in holiday sales and gift giving traditions. In some cases, however, Hanukkah occurs several weeks before Christmas, which means that people who celebrate it exchange gifts earlier in the year. Many stores and websites take this into consideration and run special Hanukkah promotions in addition to their Christmas or generic holiday season sales. Supermarkets, delis and specialty food shops will offer foods that are popular during the Hanukkah festival. In general, the earlier in the year that Hanukkah falls, the more effort merchants will make to offer special Hanukkah sales. Obviously, stores and websites that cater specifically to Jewish customers will emphasize Hanukkah regardless of when it occurs. Although there have been recent efforts to combine Christmas, Hanukkah and sometimes other holidays such as Ramadan and Kwanza into one, mostly secular holiday season, many people are also dedicated to preserving their own unique religious traditions. Therefore, Hanukkah will continue to be celebrated as a distinct holiday by many people.