Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a cherished Jewish holiday celebrated for eight nights and days. It typically falls in December and commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century BCE.
The central custom of Hanukkah is the lighting of the menorah, a nine-branched candelabrum. Each night, one additional candle is lit, along with the shammash, a central candle used to light the others. This ritual symbolizes the miracle that occurred when a single day’s worth of oil miraculously burned for eight days in the temple’s menorah.
Families gather to celebrate Hanukkah by lighting the menorah, singing songs, and reciting prayers. Traditional foods, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts), are enjoyed, often fried in oil to symbolize the miracle of the oil. Children often play a game with a spinning top called a dreidel, which has Hebrew letters that represent the phrase “A great miracle happened there.”
Hanukkah is a time of joy, unity, and the celebration of religious freedom. It serves as a reminder of the importance of standing up for one’s beliefs and the enduring power of light to dispel darkness. The holiday’s message of hope and resilience resonates beyond the Jewish community, inspiring people of all backgrounds to appreciate the values of dedication and perseverance.