History

Hanukkah is celebrated in memory of the miracle that occurred in 164 BCE. A small amount of oil, sufficient for just one day, burned in the Menorah of the Second Temple in Jerusalem for eight whole days. This happened after the Maccabees defeated the Syrian-Greek armies and liberated Jerusalem.

Symbol of the Holiday

The main symbol of Hanukkah is the Hanukkiah, a special nine-branched menorah. Each evening, another candle is lit, starting with one on the first day and ending with eight on the last. The ninth candle, called “shamash” (“servant”), is used to light the others.

Order of Lighting Candles

Over the eight days of Hanukkah, 44 candles are lit: 36 candles for each of the days (1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8) and 8 “shamash” candles, which are used daily. This tradition unites families, creating an atmosphere of coziness and light.

Hanukkiah in the Guinness Book of Records

The largest Hanukkiah is installed at Grand Army Plaza in New York. Its height is 9.7 meters, width – 8.5 meters, and weight – 1,814 kg. It was designed by Israeli artist Yaacov Agam, inspired by the image of the Menorah of the Holy Temple.

Hanukkah Light

It is believed that during the 30 minutes after lighting the candles, a special spiritual light – “or ganuz”, usually accessible only to great righteous people, descends. During this time, it is customary to refrain from household chores and focus on spiritual reflections or prayers.

Hanukkah Treats

On Hanukkah, it is customary to prepare dishes fried in oil, such as jam-filled doughnuts (“sufganiyot”) and potato pancakes (“latkes”). Also, children are often given chocolate coins (“gelt”), wrapped in gold or silver foil.

Playing Dreidel

A popular activity on Hanukkah is playing dreidel (“sevivon” in Hebrew), a spinning top with four sides. Each side bears a letter: Nun (נ), Gimel (ג), Hey (ה), and Shin (ש) outside of Israel, or Pei (פ) – in Israel. These letters form the acronym of the phrase “Nes gadol haya sham” (“A great miracle happened there”) or “Nes gadol haya po” (“A great miracle happened here”) for Israel. The game brings joy and fun, and the prizes often include chocolate “gelt”.

Hanukkah in Space

In December 1993, astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman took a dreidel and a travel Hanukkiah into space. During a live broadcast from aboard the Endeavour, he demonstrated how to spin the dreidel in zero gravity and wished Jews around the world a happy Hanukkah.

Each of these facts highlights the uniqueness of Hanukkah, filled with light, warmth, and historical memory.