Some Folks Have The Wrong Idea

For folks who think that Hanukkah is the another Celebration for Christmas, sorry but you are wrong.

The Jewish Festival of Rededication, also called the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day celebration that falls each year on the Hebrew calendar date of 25 Kislev, which falls on December in the Gregorian calendar. (In 2017, Chanukah is December 12 through December 20.) Chanukah, also spelled Chanukkah or Hanukkah, celebrates the rededication of the second Jewish temple in Jerusalem. It’s not a very important religious holiday, but it’s a fun one, and its proximity to the “Holiday Season” means that it has become one of the most well-known holidays on the Jewish calendar!

Chanukah is a celebration of the Jewish victory over a tyrant king and a rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Jews fought for freedom and reclaimed their holy temple; in order to rededicate it, they needed to light the menorah, but only had enough oil for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days. Chanukah is an eight-day celebration to commemorate the eight-day miracle.

The Jewish holiday Hanukkah starts tonight and lasts through next Wednesday. In theory, that means people could get presents on all eight nights. But do they?

According to a new survey done by National Today , a surprising number of people say . . . yes. 68% of people who celebrate Hanukkah get something on every single night.

How do the Jewish Celebrate this Holiday?

• Light the menorah 
  Each night of Chanukah, use the “shamash” or head candle to light one of the eight candles in the menorah, so by the last night of Chanukah, all eight candles are burning!
• Give some gelt
  Gold-foil-wrapped chocolate coins known gelt are traditional Chanukah treats. The tradition harkens back to the Maccabees producing their own money after defeating the Greeks!
•  Play dreidel 
  A dreidel is a traditional four-sided spinning toy. Each side has a Hebrew letter on it: “nun” means do nothing; “shin” means you put one in; “he” means you get half of what’s in the middle; and “gimel” means you get the whole pot. Play with gelt or with real money for a great time!