Hanukkah: what kind of holiday it is and how American Jews made it popular

For the Jewish people, Hanukkah is actually not so religious, although due to its proximity to Christmas, it is often considered the most important Jewish holiday. This is not true. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Easter, for example, are considered more religious, although Hanukkah certainly has cultural significance. Writes about it USA Today.

What is Hanukkah and when is it?

Hanukkah, known as the Festival of Lights, celebrates the dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BC. The event occurred when the Jews rebelled against the Greco-Syrian rulers during the Maccabean revolt and drove them out of Jerusalem.

To celebrate their victory, the Jews wanted to regain the temple and light its menorah, but found enough pure olive oil for only one day. This one-day supply lasted eight days and is considered a miracle in the Jewish faith.

Each year, Hanukkah begins on the 25th of Kislev, a month in the Jewish calendar. It lasts eight nights, and in 2019 it is December 22-30.

Was there really enough oil for 8 days?

The story of the oil, which was enough for 8 days, goes back to the ancient rabbis, who seemed to come up with this story, chatting about lighting candles during the holiday. Some firmly believe in this story, while others are more likely to focus on the lessons the holiday teaches.

How to spell Hanukkah or Chanukah?

Both options are correct. In fact, according to the Oxford dictionaries and Webster's dictionary, there are more than a dozen options for writing the name of the holiday in English.

On the subject: Trump signed a decree on the fight against anti-Semitism: not all Jews in the US approve of it

Differences arise because the name of the holiday comes from Hebrew, which does not use the Latin alphabet. According to Webster’s dictionary, some Hebrew sounds do not have exact matches with Latin letters, creating several spellings.

What happens during Hanukkah?

To commemorate the holiday, Jews light one candle each evening in a nine-branched menorah. The ninth candle, the shamash (“helper” or “accompanyer”), is used to illuminate the other eight.

Lighted menorahs are placed in a visible place, often on windows. Playing with dreidels and exchanging gifts are other Hanukkah traditions. Don't forget about the gelt, the chocolate coins that adults give to children during Hanukkah (a symbol of the money Jewish parents give to their children in lieu of gifts).

Hanukkah is not as important as Christmas?

No, at least in the traditional religious sense. In fact, if you use Google and look for “Hanukkah doesn't really matter,” you will find many articles that can tell you about it.

On the subject: Businessman bought Nazi items auctioned in Germany and donated them to Jews

However, it is still important for other reasons.

Like other Jewish holidays, visiting Jewish shrines is part of this event. "Rugrats", the cartoon "Nickelodeon", was shown in 1996 in the Hanukkah theme, it is considered educational, cute and interesting.

But why do people really fuss about Hanukkah?

You can thank (or not thank) American Jews for this. Maybe this is a direct response to Christmas or an attempt to encourage youth to set aside time for the synagogue.

Like most Jewish teachings, "she emphasizes one of the most significant topics in Jewish history: the struggle for Judaism, when powerful forces seek to extinguish it." It also serves another purpose: the ability to reduce ethnic tension and assimilate.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Jewish Culture in the USA: Israeli Fair to be held in New York

Trump signed a decree on the fight against anti-Semitism: not all Jews in the US approve of it

Businessman bought Nazi items auctioned in Germany and donated them to Jews

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.