All Your Hanukkah Menorah Lighting Questions, Answered
Why do we light a menorah during Hanukkah? The Hanukkah menorah symbolizes the miracle that occurred when the Maccabees, Jewish fighters in ancient Judea in the 2nd century BCE, re-sanctified the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after defeating their Greek-Seleucid occupiers who had desecrated the Temple and banned Jewish worship. Upon taking back control of the […]
Israel’s Other Independence Day: 29th of November
How Tzitzit Prayer Fringes Are Helping Israel Fight Hamas
Since the October 7th massacre in southern Israel, the entire country has been mobilized to defeat Hamas, free the hostages, and defend our homeland. One unique way that civilians have been helping the war effort has been by hand-tying tzitzit – intricate, Jewish prayer fringes – onto military undershirts for tens of thousands of enlisted […]
Why Do We Give Gifts on Hanukkah?
Hanukkah may not be a religiously major holiday, but it’s the one most heavily associated with spreading holiday cheer through giving gifts to children and other family members, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Whether in a secular, Orthodox, or any other Jewish community, people give astronomically more presents on this occasion than any other throughout the […]
