Hanukkah

Yes, it is a very happy time. As with many Jewish holidays, it celebrates victory over enemies that sought to destroy the Jewish people.

In fact, most occasions are happy. There are only a few non-happy occasions on the Jewish calendar (these are to mark the destruction of the Temple).

Words that can be made from the letters in 'Hanukkah' are:

A

AAH

AH

AHA

AN

ANA

ANKH

AUK

HA

HAH

HAHA

HANK

HUH

HUN

HUNH

HUNK

KAHUNA

KAKA

KANA

KHAN

NAH

UH

The '20s and '30s were when the modern Santa Claus came, so thats when most people across the globe started celebrating Christmas in our modern way.

Assuming that it is a 5ml spoon, 140ml should last 28 days. 5ml X 28 = 140ml or: 140ml divide by 5ml = 28.

10W-30 should be the best type to use.

each candle stands for one day of the miracle of Hanukkah, except for the Shamash (9th candle) which is just a helper candle used to light the others.

you can use 5w-30 or 10w-30 motor oil

Yes; and the Hanukkah candles are lit earlier than usual for that reason.

Adam Sandler's 'The Channukah Song' where he lists the different famous people who would celebrate Channukah because they're Jewish.

left whilst you are wearing the garment. If you face the jacket it 'appears' to be on the right, but sew it on the left that is also where you will find the pocket put there there by the tailor

clothing that was worn was very mature and productive. Nothing big but never wore any bright colors

The seven-branched Menorah of the Temple in Jerusalem dates back to the wanderings of the Children of Israel in the desert. The plans for this menorah are described in the Torah, Exodus 25:31-40. The text says that this, and all the other implements for the portable Tabernacle in the wilderness were made by the craftsman Betzalel. It was such a 7-branched menorah that was the subject of the "miracle of Hanukkah," when, during the rededication of the Temple, there was only enough oil for one day but it lasted for 8 days. Those 8 days explain why the menorah used to celebrate Hanukkah has 9 lamps or candles. Presumably, the first 9-branched menorah was made some time after the successful revolt in 166 BCE. We don't know exactly when.

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."

A Hanukkah bush is similar to a Christmas tree, but has Hanukkah ornaments.

The meaning for all eight days and nights of Hanukkah is the same.

Meaning of Hanukkah:

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. 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."

If you light the yahrzeit candle before it's time to light the Hanukkah-menorah, you may light the yahrzeit candle first.

Otherwise, once it's past sunset, you should wait until about 20 minutes after sunset, light the Hanukkah-menorah, and afterwards light the yahrzeit candle.

Eight days, beginning on the 25th of Kislev.

Israelis celebrate Hanukkah each year on the same days as Jews living outside of Israel. Hanukkah always starts on the Hebrew calendar date of 25 Kislev, and lasts for eight days. The Hebrew calendar does not line up with the Western (Gregorian) calendar because it has a completely different leap year system that can shift holidays each year by to 11-28 days.

Here are the coinciding secular dates for several years. The candle lightings begin on the evening BEFORE the first date:

2011: December 20-28

2012: December 8-16

2013: November 27-December 5

2014: December 16-24

2015: December 6-14

The most visual representation is the act of lighting the candles of the Chanukiah (Hanukkah-menorah).

That God's presence is still here even in the Exile.

Hanukkah usually involves small family parties. Sometimes there is singing or playing the dreidel game. But if a family has a Hanukkah party, they can do any form of entertainment they want. Although some people hold parties during this holiday, there are no traditional or specific forms of entertainment associated with Hanukkah. Some synagogues hold Hanukkah parties.

The only real difference is the language spoken in the home during the holiday. Otherwise, they are pretty much the same.

Hanukkah always starts on the Hebrew calendar date of 25 Kislev, and lasts for eight days. The Hebrew calendar does not line up with the western calendar because it has a completely different leap year system that can shift holidays each year by to 11-28 days.

Here are the coinciding secular dates for the upcoming years. The candle lightings begin on the evening BEFORE the first date:

2011: December 20-28

2012: December 8-16

2013: November 27-December 5

2014: December 16-24

2015: December 6-14

There are no traditional starters. It depends on the family.

Many images are associated with Hanukkah:

candles

light

gelt or chocolate coins

dreidels

the Maccabean War

the miracle of the oil

the special songs and prayers

the customary fried foods