Exploring Hanukkah: The Festival of Lights and Jewish Traditions

The difference between Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations

Generally, the Jewish community doesn’t celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. However, some Jewish families might celebrate some of the cultural aspects of Christmas, like having a special meal or exchanging gifts, but they do it in their own way and not as a religious observance.

Instead of Christmas, Jewish people have their own holidays, like Hanukkah (or Chanukah), Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur, which are very important in the Jewish faith. Hanukkah is a festival of lights celebrated for eight days and nights, usually around December, but it’s a separate holiday from Christmas.

So, while some Jewish families might take part in some of the festive things around Christmas, it’s not a religious holiday for them. They focus more on their own traditional celebrations and customs.

The Story of Hanukkah: A Festival of Lights

Hanukkah is a special and joyful Jewish holiday that lasts for eight days and nights. It’s also known as the Festival of Lights.

Hanukkah celebrates an event that happened more than 2,000 years ago, when a group of Jewish people called the Maccabees reclaimed their temple in Jerusalem from rulers who wouldn’t let them practice their religion freely. When they went to rededicate the temple, they found only enough oil to light the temple’s lamp for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days until new oil could be prepared. That’s why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days!

Traditional Hanukkah Menorah Candleholder

Hanukkah Traditions and Customs

During Hanukkah, families light a special candleholder called a menorah. It has nine branches – one for each day of the festival plus an extra one, called the “shamash,” which is used to light the other candles. Each night, they light one more candle until all eight are shining brightly.

Fun and food

People also enjoy playing games with a spinning top called a dreidel and eating delicious foods fried in oil, like potato pancakes called latkes and jelly-filled doughnuts called sufganiyot. Another popular dish is Noodle Kugel (לאָקשן קוגל lokshen kugel, pronounced [ˈkʊɡl̩]), also known as lokshen kugel or kigel.

Hanukkah is a treasured time for families to come together, exchange gifts, and celebrate the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days. It’s a beautiful and meaningful holiday filled with light, joy, and traditions!

The Dreidel Game (in English), is available in different sizes like the 10-pack above, or in packs of 30, 100, 500, and 1,000.

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The Changing Dates of Hanukkah

Hanukkah doesn’t have a set date on the Gregorian calendar (the one most people use). Instead, it follows the Hebrew calendar, which is based on lunar months.

Usually, Hanukkah falls somewhere between late November and late December on the Gregorian calendar. It begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev and lasts for eight days.

Because the Hebrew calendar is a bit different from the Gregorian one, the dates of Hanukkah shift around from year to year. So, you might notice that one year Hanukkah starts in late November, and the next year, it could begin in mid-December. It all depends on how the lunar months line up with the solar year in the Hebrew calendar.

Chanukah/Hanukkah (first day):

2023 Friday 8 December
2024 Thursday 26 December
2025 Monday 15 December
2026 Saturday 5 December
2027 Saturday 25 December
2028 Wednesday 13 December

While we work hard to get our holiday dates right, some info in the table above might be early. If you see a mistake, please tell us.

16-Month Jewish Calendar With Candle Lighting Times (Sept 2023 – Dec 2024)

Family Celebrations During Hanukkah

In many families, there isn’t a specific “set” day during the eight days of Hanukkah when everyone gathers, like Christmas day for some families. Since Hanukkah spans eight days, families often celebrate together on different days throughout the holiday, depending on everyone’s schedules.

However, there might be a day or evening that works best for most family members to come together for a special Hanukkah meal, light the menorah, play dreidel games, exchange gifts, and share in the holiday traditions. Some families choose to have a big celebration on the first night of Hanukkah, while others might opt for the weekend or a day when everyone can be together.

The flexibility of Hanukkah allows families to choose a time during the eight days that suits them best to gather, enjoy each other’s company, and celebrate the holiday together. It’s more about spending time with loved ones, sharing in the joy of the holiday, and creating meaningful memories rather than having a single designated day for festivities.