Happy Hanukkah
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights is a widely celebrated Jewish holiday. The festival commemorates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE. The eight-day long festival begins the 25th of Kislev, according to the Hebrew calendar. This date corresponds in the months of November or December as per the Gregorian calendar. This year Hanukkah is celebrated beginning in the evening of Tuesday, December 16, 2014 and ends in the evening of Wednesday, December 24 .
The Hanukkah holiday is celebrated by exchanging greetings and gifts, playing games, eating sweets, traditional Jewish food , and following the Jewish customs and rituals of the holiday. The most significant tradition during this holiday is the lighting of the candles on the Menorah.
The story of Hanukkah is one of revolution and miracles: Greek influence over the Jews in the Land of Israel had become an affront to Jewish culture and ritual. Antiochus, the Greek ruler, forbade Jewish religious practice, so a small group of Jews, the Maccabees, revolted. These Jews eventually prevailed and, as a first order of business, restored the Holy Temple, which had been desecrated. The menorah in the Temple needed to be re-lit because, according to tradition, it should burn continuously. The Temple liberators found one vial of olive oil, enough for one day of light. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days.
Today, Jews everywhere light menorahs on each night of Hanukkah. Traditionally, one candle is lit for each night up until the eighth night On the eighth night all the lights shine together. The menorah also has has a ninth light known as the shamash. This light is used to light the other candles and stands above the others in the middle.According to Jewish laws, the Hanukkah lights serve as a visually proclamation of the miracle of the holiday. The menorah is placed within a window in order to fulfill this commandment and for all to see.
The Hanukkah holiday is celebrated by exchanging greetings and gifts, playing games, eating sweets, traditional Jewish food , and following the Jewish customs and rituals of the holiday. The most significant tradition during this holiday is the lighting of the candles on the Menorah.
The story of Hanukkah is one of revolution and miracles: Greek influence over the Jews in the Land of Israel had become an affront to Jewish culture and ritual. Antiochus, the Greek ruler, forbade Jewish religious practice, so a small group of Jews, the Maccabees, revolted. These Jews eventually prevailed and, as a first order of business, restored the Holy Temple, which had been desecrated. The menorah in the Temple needed to be re-lit because, according to tradition, it should burn continuously. The Temple liberators found one vial of olive oil, enough for one day of light. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days.
Today, Jews everywhere light menorahs on each night of Hanukkah. Traditionally, one candle is lit for each night up until the eighth night On the eighth night all the lights shine together. The menorah also has has a ninth light known as the shamash. This light is used to light the other candles and stands above the others in the middle.According to Jewish laws, the Hanukkah lights serve as a visually proclamation of the miracle of the holiday. The menorah is placed within a window in order to fulfill this commandment and for all to see.
Gift giving is now a common practice on Hanukkah, and it is therefore a beloved time for many Jewish children.
"A candle is a small thing.
But one candle can light another.
And see how its own light increases,
as a candle gives its flame to the other.
You are such a light."
Moshe Davis
Moshe Davis
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