​Chanukah Traditions

Chanukah is a special time of year for Jewish People all over the world. This year, Chanukah began at sundown on December 10th and will last eight days. First dubbed “the festival of lights” by the earliest Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, Chanukah is rich in religious traditions and symbols. Though this holiday is considered "minor" by religious Jews, it succeeds in bringing warmth and joy to Jewish practitioners all over the world during the shortest days of the year. Here are some of the most famous symbols of Chanukah and what they represent.

A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top, with Hebrew letters written on each side of the toy. Each letter corresponds to a rule of the game, and it is traditional to play dreidel on Chanukah. There are many theories about where the tradition of the dreidel originated. Some rabbis argue that the Jews used the spinning top to teach Hebrew under the nose of the Selucid King Antiochus IV, who made reading and writing Hebrew illegal. Other rabbis agree that the letters on the dreidel are there to remind Jews about the miracle of Chanukah. In this interpretation, the letters the dreidel (nun, gimel, hey and shin) stand for "Nes Gadol Haya Sham", which translates to “A Great Miracle Happened There”.

The tradition of lighting a 9-branched menorah (or “Chanukiah”) harkens back to the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Greeks who at that time held control of Jerusalem. The small Jewish revolt, led by the Maccabee family, was able to win back the Jewish Temple against the odds. Because the temple had been taken over by the Greeks, the Maccabees needed to reconsecrate the space. The consecration ritual required enough oil to light the lamp for eight nights, but they only had enough for one night. Miraculously, the small amount of oil was enough to complete this sacred ritual of temple dedication. This is why Jewish people celebrate the holiday for eight nights.

Chanukah celebrates the miracle of the oil lasting eight nights, which is why Jewish people celebrate Chanukah with oil rich foods, mostly fried foods! It’s no wonder Chanukah is famous for delicious meals. The famous potato latkes are fried in oil and are traditionally served with applesauce and sour cream. Sufganiot (or jelly donuts) are traditional for celebrants of Chanukah in Israel and abroad.

Many cultures and religions have developed festivals that celebrate and honour light during the darkest days of the year. Chanukah allows Jews all over the world to connect with their family and community. This year, many will be lighting their menorahs with loved ones online, remembering their cultural history with family in different cities. It is customary to place the menorah in the window once it is lit. If you go for a walk at sundown, you will probably see the Chanukiah burning bright in the homes of Jewish families.