Traditionally, during Hanukkah, people eat foods fried in oil, as a reminder of the miracle of the oil during the rededication of the temple.How to Celebrate Hanukkah Hanukkah Symbols and Traditions Now, Hanukkah has a major significance in the United States. It is a reminder of the Jewish faith and Jewish family life, during a time when all the focus is on Christmas. In the 1950s, in order to fight against Christmas traditions, Jews in American suburbia embellished Hanukkah celebrations with decorations and gifts, giving it a new special meaning. Jewish people adopted this custom but made it their own, by exchanging gifts on Hanukkah instead of Christmas, asserting their faith in America. After the Civil War, some Rabbis began hosting special Hanukkah services for children, in order to ensure that the Jewish religion would survive in this new country.īy the 20th century, industrialization allowed people to give their children gifts during the holidays. Because of this, Jews only celebrated major religious events, which meant that holidays like Hanukkah were forgotten. It is a holiday with a rich historical meaning.Įach candle of the Hanukkah menorah, or simply Hanukkiah, is lit during the 8-day festival.Īlthough the Jewish population in America is now in the millions, in the 19th century there were only a few thousand Jews living in the United States, which meant that basic necessities for the Jewish religion (kosher items and Torah scrolls for example) were hard to find. In modern times, Hanukkah reminds Jews of the issues they had to face throughout their existence of oppression, and the need to fight for religious freedom. It can also be an acronym for "Eight candles, and the halakha is like the House of Hillel", which represents the ritual of lighting one candle in the Menorah for each night of Hanukkah, a practice that was suggested by the House of Hillel. Hanukkah is a Hebrew word that by definition means "to dedicate", and it signifies the Maccabees' rededication of the Temple to the Jewish faith. This built the foundation for the celebration of Hanukkah. They used it to light the Menorah (a candelabrum with seven branches), and that one day supply of oil lasted for eight whole days. When they were rebuilding the altar in the Second Temple, they found one cruse of olive oil that had not been touched by the Greeks. Over a period of two years, a band of Jews rose up led by Judah the Maccabee, armed themselves, and successfully drove the Seleucids out of Israel, reclaiming their city and their Temple. This resulted in the massacre of thousands of Jews, and those who survived were forced to convert to the Greek religion. Antiochus IV Epiphanes rose to power, and outlawed Judaism, ordering his soldiers to desecrate the Second Temple and erect an altar to Zeus. History of Hanukkahĭuring the second century B.C., Judea, or the Land of Israel, was under Syrian control. Hanukkah is not a public holiday in the United States, so businesses and schools remain open. This holiday commemorated the Maccabean Revolt when Jews fought against their oppressors during the second century B.C. In 2022, the first day of Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 18, and the festival ends at sundown on December 26. In the Hebrew calendar, Hanukkah starts on the 25th of Kislev, which corresponds to the time frame between late November and December in the Gregorian Calendar. Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah or the Festival of Lights, is a Jewish festival that lasts for eight days.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |