Holiday Gifts
Karshi Menorah

Hanukkah: What Are We Celebrating?

Karshi MenorahHanukkah is the Jewish “festival of lights”, celebrated for 8 days and nights by lighting a menorah in each Jewish home. Full of its own traditions, customs and foods, it is arguably the most universally celebrated Jewish holiday. But, what exactly are we celebrating?

History

Like most Jewish holidays, Hanukkah is based on a paradigmatic event in Jewish history. Long ago, the Land of Israel was ruled by the Greeks. Sharing a mutual respect for wisdom, the Greeks originally allowed the Jews to continue practicing their religion, however eventually Jewish observance was outlawed under penalty of death. and the Holy Temple was turned into a pagan sanctuary.

Miracles

Led by the Jewish priest Matthias and his five sons, a large-scale rebellion broke out in what is called the world’s first ideological war, a tiny force of ill-equipped and untrained rebels against the professional Greek army of up to 40,000 men. Relying largely on guerilla warfare tactics, the Jews eventually re-captured Jerusalem. When they entered the Temple, they discovered only one container of pure lamp oil that was used to light the Menorah had not been defiled by the Greeks. They used it light the menorah and miraculously it stayed lit for eight days, by which time fresh pure oil had been pressed and delivered to the Temple.

The Message of Hanukkah Today

Along with the miraculous military victory, Hannukah celebrates the timeless spiritual victory of Jewish values over those of Greek culture which we celebrate this time of year. Similar to the Maccabees long ago, by kindling the Chanukah candles, we generate light which illuminates the darkness, a metaphor for our actions which sanctify the material world and reveal G-d’s presence, which was there all along.

JWS POST YOU MAY LIKE

395566619_738376234998526_6045063496518425716_n
The Meaning & Significance of 'Am Yisrael Chai'
  The phrase “Am Yisrael Chai” can be translated as “The People of Israel Live” or “The Nation of Israel
Group of aircraft fighter jet airplane. Israel flag. Independence day. 3d illustration
10 Incredible Facts About the Israeli Air Force
One of the most famous branches of the Israel Defense Forces is the Air Force, considered among the best in
shraga-kopstein-tMOFoyRG1Dc-unsplash
Everything You Need To Know About Simchat Torah 2024
  One thing that sets Simchat Torah apart from other celebrations like Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, and Passover is that there are
Autumn table setting with fresh pumpkins and flowers in room
Top 7 Sukkot Recipes for a Festive Holiday
Sukkot 2024 begins in the evening of Wednesday, October 16, and lasts for a week. And since one of the
AdobeStock_921213839
How to Set the Perfect Sukkot Table in Your Sukkah
One of the main traditions of Sukkot is eating one’s meals in a sukkah together with family and guests. The
Lulav
Sukkot: All About the Lulav & Etrog
  Like we mentioned in our Sukkot Fact File post, the waving or shaking of the Four Species, also commonly