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The Jewish holiday of Hanukkahcelebrates the Maccabees’ victory over their Syrian Greek oppressors in 164 BCE, more than a century and a half before the birth of Jesus, which is celebrated annually by Christians at Christmas. The themesof Hanukkah are religious freedom, maintaining Jewish identity, the victory of the underdog, miracles, and ...
- Cultural Significance
- The American Holiday Season
- Choices in Holiday Rituals
- Extending Hanukkah Wishes
Religiously, Hanukkah isn’t as weighty as Christmas. “Christmas is a central holiday for Christians, religiously [as it celebrates the birth of Jesus]. Hanukkah is a minor holiday in the Jewish religious scheme of things,” says Associate Professor of Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt University, Shaul Kelner. Rather, occasions like Passover (the most wi...
In fact, Hanukkah might even owe its relative significance in American Jewish life to Christmas. “For Jews, Hanukkah is not really the holiday season. The holiday season is September and October [when the High Holidays are celebrated],” Kelner says. “Hanukkah is one of a dozen Jewish holidays. It just happens to be the one that’s right next to Chri...
Christmas can be an isolating time for those who don’t celebrate, and us Jews just wanted to join in the fun while still respecting our religion and culture. Hanukkah, then, is adapted as our token of holiday cheer, with a few Hanukkah songs, decorations (like a Hanukkah bush), and gift-giving rituals to match. “From the bottom up, the holiday beca...
While it’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of Christmas, wish your Jewish friends a happy Hanukkah, acknowledging the holiday’s festivities and relatively new-found cultural significance. There might be call for baking or creating a dish that acknowledges the Jewish tradition of foodas a deeply significant piece of culture. This is certain...
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Dec 20, 2016 · Since 1900, the first night of Hanukkah has fallen on Christmas Eve three times (with 2016 being the fourth). Hanukkah has started on Christmas Day four times in the same period. With eight total ...
- Zachary Crockett
Hanukkah is an eight-day holiday because it commemorates the miracle that one vial of oil, sufficient to light the ancient Temple light for one day, burned for a full eight. Christmas lasts one day, however some Christian denominations celebrate Christmas as a 12-day festival known as Twelvetide. They Commemorate Different Historical Moments.
Photo credits: Flash90. Hanukkah ( Chanukah) is the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods. The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication,” and is thus named because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple (as you’ll read below).
Oct 27, 2009 · Hanukkah (or Chanukah) is the eight-day Jewish celebration that commemorates the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where according to legend Jews had ...
Dec 7, 2023 · By Amy Briggs. December 07, 2023. • 6 min read. It's time to celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights that lasts for eight days and nights in honor of a 2,000-year-old miracle in which ...
