Hanukkah

jewish-holiday · history · light · celebration

Eight Days of Light. Hanukkah lasts for eight days and nights, and Jewish families light one more candle each evening on a special candlestick called a menorah. By the last night, all eight candles glow brightly together.

An Amazing Victory. Over 2,000 years ago, a group of fighters called the Maccabees fought against a powerful empire to protect their religion and their holy temple in Jerusalem. They won against all odds!

The Temple Miracle. According to tradition, when the Maccabees reclaimed their temple, they found only enough oil to light the sacred lamp for one day, but miraculously, it burned for eight days until new oil could be made.

Tasty Traditions. Families celebrate with special foods like latkes (crispy potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly-filled donuts), which are fried in oil to remember the oil miracle.

Gifts and Games. During Hanukkah, families give each other gifts and play games with a spinning top called a dreidel that has Hebrew letters on each side.