Chanukkah Recipes Food Cooking International Guide
Chanukkah Festival Celebrations
By Imogen T Stubbs
Chanukkah, a variant of the commonly used term Hanukkah, is a
Jewish festival that begins on Kislev, a Jewish calendar month,
on day 25. Also called a "Festival of Lights," it commemorates
the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Jewish
victory over the Hellenist Syrians in 165 B.C.
Judah Maccabee, the leader of the Jewish rebels wanted to light
the menorah for the celebration. However, they found only a single
flask that was still sealed by the High Priest, containing oil
that would suffice only for one day.
Miraculously, the oil held for eight days, giving them enough
time to have new oil pressed and made ready. Today, Jews celebrate
Hanukkah tradition for eight days by lighting candles in a menorah
every night, thus commemorating the eight-day miracle.
Eight Branched Candle Stand With Eight Candles
Lighting the Hanukkah candles of a menorah, also referred to
as the hanukiya by the Hebrew people, is the highlight of the
Hanukkah holiday. A menorah is an eight-branched candle stand
consisting of eight candles that are the same height, one for
each day of the celebration.
The ninth middle candle, which stands the tallest, is called
the Shamash, which means servant and this is the candle that is
used to light the others. The festival is observed by the kindling
and blessing of the lights of the menorah, with one Hanukkah candle
being lit on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on
the final night.
Latkes Are Similar To Potato Pancakes
There are traditional foods eaten during Chanukkah, usually cooked
in oil, symbolic of the oil that burned for eight days in the
temple. In the Western part of the world, a popular treat is latkes,
a food similar to potato pancakes, a custom that traces its origin
from Eastern Europe.
A favorite food for Israelis is sufganiya, which is a type of
jelly pastry that is cooked in oil. Israelis eat sufganiyot for
the month prior to the start of festival. Another Jewish Hanukkah
tradition is eating dairy products, such as cheese.
Children Play Spin The Dreidel
Children also play traditional Jewish games during the festivities,
such as Spin the Dreidel. The "dreidel" is a four-sided
top with a Hebrew letter on each side representing the first word
in the sentence "A great miracle happened there," referring
to the miracle of oil which transpired when the Maccabees rededicated
the Temple.
Though it is a relatively minor holiday on the Jewish calendar,
the proximity of Chanukkah to the Christian Christmas season has
brought greater attention to it.
Hanukkah Gift Giving
In the United States, it has gained increased prominence because
of a large numbers of secular Jews who wanted a Jewish alternative
to the Christmas celebrations that often overlapped with the onset
of Hanukkah.
Though it was traditional to give "gelt" or money coins
to children during this time, in many families this has given
way to Hanukkah gift giving, in order to prevent Jewish children
from feeling left out of Christmas gift giving.
About the Author:
Imogen T Stubbs has written a number of articles on kitchen, food
and cooking including First
Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving
Feast, Hot
Water, Refrigerator
Water Filter, Water
Filtering System, Whole
House Water.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles on this website.
Did You Know?
Are you looking for the perfect Hanukkah gifts to give out but
you are frustrated with trying to battle the hordes of shoppers
in the mall or other retail stores? Rest assured that you are
not alone. Plus you have to consider the downturn in the economy.
Saving money is on everyone’s mind these days. You want
to give a great gift but you want to keep within a budget. It
can be hard but it is not impossible if you know where to shop.
That is the key to a successful shopping expedition. It all starts
at home.
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