Hanukkah 2023: A Festival of Lights or Jewish Christmas?

 

Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah, is Judaism’s treasured “Festival of Lights,” a holiday steeped in rich traditions and symbolic meaning. This page seeks to elucidate the core of Hanukkah by delving into its history, traditions, and the various ways it is observed around the world.

Hanukkah will be observed this year from December 7 to December 15. The holiday is based on the Hebrew month of Kislev, which corresponds to November-December in the Gregorian calendar.

Hanukkah, derived from the Hebrew word for “dedication,” is fundamental to Jewish traditions. The festival commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BC, a significant event that occurred following the liberation of a valiant troop of Jewish fighters.

The lighting of the menorah, a multi-branched candelabra, is central to this ceremony. Every night for eight nights, families assemble to light one more candle, signifying the wonder of a modest supply of oil lasting eight days.

Hanukkah is inextricably linked to the Hebrew month of Kislev, which corresponds to November-December in the Gregorian calendar. The event will be held from December 7 to December 15, 2023.