![]() Like other Jewish holidays, haunting Hebrew hymns are part of the occasion. (People eat doughnuts filled with jelly, or sufganiyot, too. ![]() That said, it's still meaningful for other reasons. When I asked fellow Jews what makes Hanukkah special on my Twitter feed last year, my followers talked about "latkes," the potato pancakes typically consumed on the holiday. No, at least not in the traditional religious sense. In fact, if you Google "Hanukkah not big deal," you'll find a plethora of articles that can tell you as much. Wait, Hanukkah isn't as big a deal as Christmas? The ninth candle – the shamash, ("helper" or "attendant") – is used to light the other eight. To mark the holiday, Jews light one candle each evening on a nine-branched menorah. Is it Hanukkah or Chanukah? Why the Jewish holiday has multiple spellings What happens during Hanukkah? Today, the most common spelling is Hanukkah, but don't be surprised if you also see Chanukah or Hanukah, according to the two dictionaries.Ĭheck out this USA TODAY Life feature for a deeper dive on the spellings of Hanukkah. According to Merriam-Webster, some sounds in Hebrew don't have exact matches for Latin letters, creating the multiple spellings. The differences arise because the holiday's name comes from Hebrew, which doesn't use the Latin alphabet. In fact, there are many variations of how to spell the holiday's name in English, according to the Oxford Dictionaries and Merriam-Webster. Also, back up. Is it Hanukkah or Chanukah?īoth are correct. ![]() Some staunchly believe the oil story, though others are more inclined to focus on the messages/lessons the holiday teaches. The story of the oil lasting eight days goes back to ancient rabbis, who seemed to have made up the story while chatting about lighting candles during the holiday, reports The Washington Post. I was sure it was true until my seventh grade Hebrew school class when someone told me it wasn't. 10 to 18.Ĭool project: Storytellers to share joys, disappointments of holidays Hold up. It lasts eight nights (yes, because of the oil), and this year it's from Dec. If you want to give festive greetings to Jewish friends or colleagues you can simply wish them a ‘happy Hanukkah’ or ‘Hanukkah Sameach’ which is Hebrew for ‘happy Hanukkah’.To mark their victory, Jews wanted to reclaim the temple and light its menorah, but only found enough pure olive oil for one day, according to . That one-day supply lasted eight and is considered a miracle in Jewish faith.Įvery year, Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of Kislev, a month in the Hebrew calendar. What should you say to someone celebrating Hanukkah? Legend has it that they was used by Jewish children in the time of the Maccabees, to try and cover up the fact they were studying religious texts and make it appear that they were simply playing games instead. Hanukkah is quite the celebratory festival too, with parties often held and gifts often given (some people have the custom of giving presents for every night of the festival) – while it’s also common to give children a small gift of money known as ‘Hanukkah gelt’, as well as chocolate coins.Īnd it’s also traditional to play games with a small spinning top known as a dreidel, which features Hebrew letters on each of its four sides. Other customs include eating foods fried in oil – traditionally doughnuts and latkes (potato pancakes) – to celebrate the miracle with the oil in the temple. Dreidels are also commonly played with at this time of year
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |