Let your light shine…what a wonderful and empowering message. This year, the eight days of Hanukkah starts at sundown on December 7th. My friend, Mira, has invited me to join her family for the first night. I’ve attended this special evening before, and loved everything from hearing the stories of the origin of Hanukkah to learning the dreidel game… and of course, enjoying the tasty foods! I’m not Jewish but I really appreciate learning about and sharing this celebration with my friends.
Fun Hanukkah Facts to Know
Spelling: While there are several ways to spell Hanukkah in English, there is only one way to spell it in Hebrew, חנוכה (meaning “dedication”). The first letter has a “ch” sound. In English, some folks spell it as Chanukah but it is also spelled Hanukah or Hanukkah. In fact, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, there are 24 different ways to spell Hanukkah! For the sake of consistency, I’ll be spelling it as Hanukkah.
Origin: Way back in 165 BC, the Jews in Jerusalem overthrew the Greeks who had been extremely oppressive. The ruler Antiochus IV had desecrated their Temple and denied anyone from engaging in Jewish practice, including reading the Hebrew Bible. The Maccabees, a Jewish family of priests, revolted, taking back the Temple. After winning their freedom, the Jewish people rededicated the Temple to God.
8 Nights of Light: The real miracle of Hanukkah centers around the small amount of specially sanctified oil that lasted for 8 days and nights. This type of oil takes 7 seven days to purify. When the Temple was rededicated, the priests only had enough of the oil to keep the menorah lit for one day. Miraculously, this small amount of oil lasted for eight days, giving them enough time to purify more oil. This miracle became a representation of God’s faithfulness to the Jewish people. The Jewish people started the Festival of Lights to celebrate their heritage, to resist oppression and rededicate their faith.
9 Candles on the Menorah: The menorah has a place for 9 candles to represent the 8 nights of light and the the ninth candle, the shammash, used to light the others. Each night, the candles are placed from right to left, but lit from left to right. An easy way to remember is this cute rhyme Left to right, that’s how you light! It’s encouraged to place the Menorah in a window to spread the light. Check out this story of one town’s rebellion of oppression by placing pictures of menorahs in windows in support of religious freedom. Let’s all support one another by spreading the light.
Stories: Hanukkah is less about giving gifts than it is about understanding the gift of faith God showed the Jewish people. Stories, lessons and blessings recounted on Hanukkah, like those of other religious and cultural holidays, are an important part of the celebration. Here is a lovely resource to teach your families about the history and significance of Hanukkah as well as the importance of resisting oppression.
Dreidel: Children (and big kids too!) love playing with the dreidel. It was originally a game to teach children about the Torah which was forbidden by the Greeks.. If anyone came by, Israelites would pretend to be playing dreidel games to disguise their studies. The dreidel historically was made of clay but you can also find them made from wood or metal. Today, each of the 4 sides has a letter from the Hebrew alphabet—nun (נ), gimmel (ג), hey (ה), and shin (ש). They are an acronym for nes gadol hayah sham—a great miracle happened there. Here is a resource to learn how to play the dreidel game. Take it from me, it’s a lot of fun!
Fried Foods: Foods fried in oil symbolize the miracle of Hanukkah. While latkes and fried jelly-filled donuts are probably the most recognizable Hanukkah foods, there is not a specific list of “have to have” Hanukkah recipes. Typically, latkes will be served, but other vegetables may be fried as well. Traditional dishes like brisket or roast chicken are often included in the meal. Share with your children this cute video of a man and his grandmother making latkes. Check out your DinnerTime Recipe Box for many Hanukkah-inspired recipes.
Hanukkah-Inspired Recipes
Search for more delightful recipes in your DinnerTime Recipe Box.
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A tasty side-dish for any meal.
Irresistible! Creamy on the inside and crackly on the outside.
The perfect accompaniment for your latkes!