Jewish holiday( Hanukkah ) - Essay Example

Hanukkah Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday, begins on the 25th day of Kislev, a Jewish calendar month, about the middle of December. It last for eight days and nights, this year from December 8 through the December 16. The holiday is close to the Christmas season which is good for Jewish children because they don’t feel left out of the festivities. However, Christmas is one of the most important Christian holidays; Hanukkah is one of the least important Jewish traditions. Because most Jews live in areas of the world heavily populated by Christians, and Hanukkah falls so close to Christmas on the calendar, it has become more festive than it was traditionally.

Each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, Jewish children receive gifts and one candle is lit on the eight-candle Menorah which is placed in a window so others can be reminded of the holiday. Jews say three blessings on the first night then two blessings the other seven nights as they light the candles. The light from the candles cannot be used for any purpose other than to display the light. For instance you can’t light a cigarette off one or even read by the light. Besides the lighting of the menorah, traditions include spinning a dreidel, a toy that looks like spinning top and eating foods, particularly fried foods.

The dreidel is generally wooden and has four sides, each with a Hebrew symbol. Chocolate coins called “gelt” is given as a reward during the game. The lighting of the Menorah commemorates the miracle of the oil that kept lamps burning for seven days longer than they should have after a temple was liberated from oppressors who had stolen all of Jew’s oil. The oil in fried foods such as Latkes (potato pancakes) and Sufaniyot (jelly donuts topped with powdered sugar) also commemorate the oil miracle.

Hanukkah is Hebrew for “dedicate” because the temple was being rededicated following a war.References Pelaia, Ariela. (October 19, 2012). What Is Hanukkah? About.com. Retrieved from http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/hanukkah.htm