Embracing the Weekend- Discovering the Jewish Holiday Celebrating This Saturday
What is the Jewish holiday this weekend? It’s a time of joy, reflection, and celebration for millions of Jewish people around the world. This weekend marks the beginning of Hanukkah, an eight-day festival that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem following its liberation from Greek rule in the second century BCE. Known for its vibrant lights, delicious foods, and meaningful traditions, Hanukkah is a significant holiday in the Jewish calendar.
Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah, is observed from the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev through the second day of Tevet. The festival is characterized by the lighting of the menorah, a candelabra with nine branches, with one candle lit on each of the first eight nights. The ninth candle, known as the shamash, is used to light the other candles and is placed separately from the rest.
The story of Hanukkah is rooted in the ancient Jewish struggle for religious freedom. In the second century BCE, the Greek-Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes imposed Hellenistic culture and religion on the Jewish people, leading to the desecration of the Temple in Jerusalem. A small group of Jewish rebels, known as the Maccabees, rose up against the oppressors and successfully freed the Holy Land. According to tradition, when the Maccabees entered the Temple, they found only one small jar of consecrated oil that was enough to light the menorah for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, enough time for new oil to be prepared.
This miracle of oil is celebrated during Hanukkah, and the festival is also known as the Festival of Lights. The eight candles symbolize the eight days of the miracle, while the ninth candle represents the light of the Torah and the commandment to observe the festival.
One of the most iconic symbols of Hanukkah is the dreidel, a four-sided spinning top with Hebrew letters on each side. The dreidel game is played by spinning the top and taking candies or small tokens based on the letter that lands face up. The letters on the dreidel are an acronym for “Nes Gadol Haya Sham,” which means “A great miracle happened there.”
In addition to the lighting of the menorah and playing dreidel, Hanukkah is celebrated with various traditional foods, including latkes (potato pancakes), sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts), and chocolate gelt (coins). These treats are often fried in oil, symbolizing the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days.
While Hanukkah is a religious holiday, it also has a secular aspect, making it a time for families to come together and celebrate. Many Jewish people exchange gifts during the festival, with each gift symbolizing the miracle of the oil. The festival is also a time to reflect on the importance of religious freedom and the resilience of the Jewish people throughout history.
As the Jewish world prepares to celebrate Hanukkah this weekend, it’s a time to come together, share in the joy of the festival, and remember the story of the Maccabees and the miracle of the oil. Whether you’re lighting the menorah, playing dreidel, or indulging in traditional foods, Hanukkah is a holiday that brings people together and highlights the beauty of Jewish culture and heritage.
