Chanukah 2024 begins
Wednesday December 25, 2024 – Thursday January 2, 2025
What is Chanukah?
Also known as ‘The Festival of Lights,’ Chanukah celebrates the rebirth of Judaism and the overthrowing of the Greek Empire around 2000 years ago. The Greek Empire presided over by the wicked King Antiochus, sought to take over Jerusalem, enslave the Jews, and destroy the Jewish nationality. They started by invading the walls of Jerusalem, ruining the holy Temple, and killing countless Jews.
They also enforced edicts to eradicate Jewish practices and traditions. The Jews were banned from performing Jewish rituals, learning Torah, and believing in Hashem. They aimed to influence the Jews to adopt the Hellenistic culture of body-building, athletics, the arts, and idol-worshipping, values that were antithetical to Jewish values.
After the Temple’s devastation, a few brave Jews, led by Yehudah the Macabee, formed a meager army and attempted to eliminate the mighty Greek Empire. They engaged against two layers of warfare- overthrowing the physical Empire that ruined their Temple and fighting the values that seeped into the Jewish consciousness.
Against all odds, the Jews won the war, and the mighty Greek army retreated. The Jews entered the Temple’s wreckage and searched for oil with which to light the menorah. The oil had to be pure- untouched by the Greek army. In the aftermath of the war, it was nearly impossible to find oil at all, yet they miraculously found a small jug under the floorboards containing pure, untouched oil.
Although there was only enough oil to keep the menorah burning for one day, it miraculously stayed burning for 8 days in a row- the time it took for the Jews to create new oil. The celebration of Chanukah is twofold: celebrating the shocking victory over the Greek Empire and the menorah burning for 8 days.
When is Chanukah?
Chanukah is an 8-day festival during the winter. In the Hebrew month, it starts in kislev and ends during the beginning of teves. This year, it starts at nightfall on December 25th and ends at nightfall on January 2nd.
How is Chanukah celebrated?
The holiday is celebrated with candle lighting every night. The menorah, an eight-branched candelabra, is placed at a window or door so passersby can see the lit menorah and remember the miracle that happened years ago. Every night of Chanukah, an additional candle is lit, until all 8 candles burn on the final night of Chaukah.
What are some traditions of Chanukah?
Donuts and latkes– We eat fried food like donuts and latkes (fried shredded potato mixture) to remember the miracle of oil that occurred when the menorah lit for 8 days with oil that was capable of burning for just one day.
Gifts– It is customary to exchange gifts during Chanukah to increase the joy and happiness of the time.
Dreidel games– During the time of the Greek ruling over Jerusalem, the Greeks forbade the Jews from learning Torah. The Jews defied the law by learning undercover, and when the Greeks came, they hid their scrolls and played with dreidels instead. Dreidels are customarily used today in a game to remember the courage of the Jews during that era.
Gelt– Many Jews hand out Chanukah gelt to increase the joy of Chanukah. Some say that it is also distributed as a reminder of the Greeks, who were the first people to mint coins.
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