Hanukkah 2022: Date, celebration and all you need to know

While Christmas is fast-approaching, there is another festival that is soon set to add joy to everyone’s lives. The Jewish festival of Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and eight nights to mark the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BC. The occasion is celebrated by lighting the menorah, a nine-point candelabra, with a new flame every night. According to Jewish traditions, Hanukkah which means “dedication” in Hebrew, marks the victory of the Jews over the Syrian Greek army. After driving away their oppressors during the Maccabean Revolt, the Jewish people reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem to rededicate it to their God. Legends say that while the lamps lit in the Holy Temple by the devotees had oil enough only for one night, they continued to burn brightly for eight nights, starting the tradition of lighting of the menorah.

Dates:

Also known as the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah falls near the end of every calendar year. This festival sometimes overlaps with Christmas, and sometimes falls closer to Thanksgiving. The first day of Hanukkah always falls on the 25th day of Kislev as per the Hebrew calendar. This year, Hanukkah will be celebrated from 18-26 December.

Celebration:

Every year, Jewish families celebrate the festival with great enthusiasm. A candle on the menorah or hanukiah is lit every night, mimicking the one that burned in the Holy temple centuries ago. Families keep the candle near the window so that the passers-by can see it.

Apart from lighting the menorah, Hanukkah is also commemorated with traditional games and foods. People cook potato pancakes or latkes throughout the eight-day holiday, and serve them at times with applesauce or sour cream. Another traditional dish served during this festival is a jelly donut called sufganiyot.

The game of dreidel is another tradition which is seen during Hanukkah. In this game, a four-sided top, each painted with a Hebrew letter, is spun. Whichever face the top touches down on tells the players to add coins or take them out of a poker-style pot. The coins, called gelt, are made up of chocolate, and wrapped in a gold tin foil to resemble money.

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