Hanukkah , also called the Festival of Lights, is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the rebellion of the Maccabees against the Seleucid Empire and the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. It lasts eight days and this 2021 will take place between sunset on November 28 and sunset on December 6. The most traditional customs are the lighting of candles every night, the singing of songs, prayer and the consumption of foods such as latkes and sufganiot.
Hanukkah dates vary each year because the Hebrew calendar is lunar and is therefore guided by the phases of the moon. In 2019 it coincided with Christmas. It is one of the most exciting celebrations in the entire Jewish world.
Origin of Hanukkah
According to Jewish tradition, 2,200 years ago a “miracle” occurred in the city of Jerusalem . At that time Judea was under the rule of the Seleucid Empire. The Maccabean rebellion restored their independence in 165 BC, after which they purified the Second Temple in Jerusalem, which the occupiers had desecrated.
During the rededication of the temple, the lamp that illuminated it was lit for eight days, something unheard of considering that it only had oil for one . For this reason, during Hanukkah, the candles in a nine-branched candelabrum are lit progressively, one each night for a total of eight. The ninth arm is for what is known as a pilot wing.
Customs
During the eight days of the celebration, the Jews carry out a series of traditions. The most important thing is to light candles near doors or windows to illuminate the interior and exterior of the home .
Young and old play with dreidels , a type of four-sided spinning top. Each has a letter from the Hebrew alphabet, and they all form an acronym that says, “A miracle happened here.”
Families come together to sing the song ‘MaozTzur ‘, exchange gifts and eat as a family. The most typical dishes are:
- Sufganiot: a sweet very similar to donuts. It is a dough fried in oil filled with jam.
- Latkes: Latkes are one of the most popular dishes in Jewish cuisine. Small cupcakes based on grated potato and egg.
- Rugelach – Rugelach is very popular in Israel. Some cookies shaped like a half moon.
