Hanukkah, what is that? a thread;

Hannukah is a jewish holiday, one of the oldest holidays.

What we celebrate, what we do in this time, when it's happening, what's the traditional food? let's find out :)

THE STORY BEHIND;

In Hebrew Hanukkah pronounce as "Chanukah" means “dedication,” and this holiday commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

In 164 BC, a band of Jewish fighters called Maccabees, under the command of a man named Judah of the Maccabees, defeated the Greek (Seleucid) army that had captured the city of Jerusalem in 200 BC. Judah and his compatriots reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and sought

to re-light its menorah (an oil-based candelabrum). They found only enough purified oil to keep the menorah lit for one day. However, the oil kept the menorah alight for 8 days, after which ritually purified oil was available. We celebrate this miracle.

To commemorate these events, the annual holiday of Hanukkah was created. Similar to the Jewish holiday of Passover, Hanukkah celebrates freedom from oppression. It also supports and celebrates freedom of religious expression.

WHEN WE CELEBRATE;

Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of Kislev, the 9th month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year. This date can occur from late November to late December of the Gregorian calendar, which is the civil calendar we follow in the United States.

HOW WE CELEBRATE;

A centerpiece of Hanukkah is the lighting of the menorah. It contains eight candles, plus a central slot for the shamash (“servant”), which is used to light the other eight candles. On the first night of Hanukkah, a single candle is lit. Each succeeding night,

an additional candle is lit, so all eight are burning on the final night. Families and friends will often gather and recite traditional blessings or sing songs together as they light the menorah. The menorah we put next the window, where it was placed it in Talmudic times.

// food
.
.
To commemorate the miraculous oil from which the holiday originated, it is traditional to serve foods fried in oil. Latkes, or potato cakes, are a common food, as are sufganiyot, or jelly donuts.

Gifts of money (gelt), other kinds of gifts, or traditional treats such as nuts and raisins, are given to children. Giving to charity is encouraged for children and adults.

Another venerated tradition is a game children often play with a dreidel, a four-sided spinner that contains letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The letters are nun, gimmel, hey, and shin, an acronym for “nes gadol hayah sham,” which means “a great miracle happened there.”

This year, Hanukkah begins Tuesday evening, December 10, 2020 and continues through Friday, December 18, 2020.

Don't forget to wish your jewish friends "Happy Hanukkah" or "Chag Sameach" (happy holiday in hebrew) ♡