The Meaningful Season Of Hanukkah

For many people in the world, when December comes around, it means hauling out your Christmas tree ornaments and decorations, and decking the halls of your house with tinsel and twinkling lights galore in anticipation for the upcoming visit on December 25th from a certain old fellow in a long white beard and a jolly red suit covered in soot.  But for many, the traditional December holiday is spent a completely different way when you practice the religious Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. 

Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and nights, starting on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar (which is November-December on the Gregorian calendar). In Hebrew, the word "Hanukkah" means "dedication."  The holiday commemorates the rededication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Jews' 165 B.C.E. victories over the Hellenist Syrians. Antiochus, the Greek King of Syria, outlawed Jewish rituals and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods.

One of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith is the menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum used in the Temple and in private homes to celebrate the Sabbath. The rabbi lit the menorah in the Sanctuary every evening and cleaned it out every morning, replacing the wicks and putting fresh olive oil into the cups. It has been said that the menorah is a symbol of the nation of Israel and their mission to be "a light unto the nations" as written in the bible in Isaiah 42:6. The sages emphasize that light is not a violent force; the Jewish are to accomplish their mission by setting an example, not by using force. This peaceful idea is highlighted in the vision in Zechariah 4:1-6, when he sees a menorah, God explains: "Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit."  This powerful message and belief still holds true today by the lighting of the menorah in private homes of Jewish followers.

Like most Jewish holidays, Hanukkah comes with its own special food traditions and recipes. Soofganiot (doughnuts) and latkes or potato pancakes are popular Hanukkah treats. Traditionally, fried food and dairy food are eaten during Hanukkah because fried food reminds us of the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days when the Maccabees purified and rededicated the holy Temple in Jerusalem.
 

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