24 Days of Tradition: Hanukkah

The tradition of Hanukkah is one almost everyone has heard of but not everyone knows the history and traditions of. It is a Jewish holiday that begins on the 25th day of Kislev, according to the Hebrew calendar (somewhere between November and December on a Gregorian calendar). Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights and eight days and includes traditions such as lighting the Hanukkah menorah, playing dreidel and eating special foods such as latkes and sufganiyah.

The holiday is one that originated thousands of years ago. Hanukkah means “dedication” and celebrates the re-dedication of of the Second Temple in Jerusalem slightly more than two thousand years ago. Historically speaking, the events that led to the creation of the holiday began in 200 BCE when Judea (the Land of Israel) came under the control of a Syrian king who was widely regarded as a benevolent man. He allowed the Jews living in the area to practice their own religion as they saw fit. However, his son was not as lenient and outlawed the Jewish religion while forcing all citizens of the country to worship the Greek gods. He sent soldiers into Jerusalem, massacring thousands and desecrating the holy Second Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus. A large scale rebellion broke out and, after several years, drove the Syrians out of Jerusalem. This allowed them to rebuild their altar and light a menorah atop it to begin practicing their own religion once more.

This year, Hanukkah begins today and lasts until December 10. The holiday will be celebrated by more than 10 million people around the world to honour the history of the Jewish people and religion.

Come back tomorrow to learn about a holiday tradition celebrated every year in Japan or click here to read about the Cavalcade of Lights, a Canadian celebration we highlighted yesterday.