The Story And Traditions Of Hanukkah
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Every winter, Jewish families around the world celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. The joyful eight-day celebration fills homes with glowing menorahs, tasty foods, fun games, and other traditions that honor an ancient miracle. While the dates vary each year, Hanukkah always falls between late November and December. In 2025, the festival will begin at sundown on December 14 and end at sundown on December 22.
The Origin
Hanukkah’s origins date back over 2,000 years, to when the Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes ruled over Israel. He outlawed Judaism and demanded the worship of Greek gods. The king even sacrificed pigs — animals forbidden under Jewish law — inside Jerusalem's Second Temple. After three years of fighting back, the Jewish people reclaimed the Temple in 165 BCE. Inside, they found only a small amount of kosher olive oil. It was enough to light the menorah for one day. Miraculously, the lamp stayed lit for eight days. This gave them time to prepare more oil. Hanukkah, which means "dedication" in Hebrew, was established to celebrate this miracle.
Lighting the Hanukkiah
Lighting the Hanukkah menorah, or Hanukkiah, is the festival's most important tradition. Eight candles are lit one at a time to mark each day of Hanukkah. In the center of the menorah is a ninth candle, known as the Shamash (helper). This is used to ignite the other eight. After each lighting, families recite blessings and sing traditional songs, filling homes with warmth and joy.
Food
Many Hanukkah foods are fried to honor the miracle of the oil. Potato pancakes called latkes and jelly-filled donuts known as sufganiyot are especially popular. Other dishes include beef brisket, matzo ball soup, and challah, a sweet braided bread. Some families add creative twists, like unique latke toppings or unusual sufganiyot fillings, making mealtime even more fun.
Games
After a delicious dinner, families often settle down to play games. One of the most popular is the dreidel, a four-sided spinning top. Each side has a Hebrew letter that forms the phrase "Nes Gadol Haya Sham." It means "a great miracle happened there."
At the start of the game, all players get an equal number of pieces, such as candy, nuts, or coins. They each put one piece into a shared pot and take turns spinning the dreidel. The side it lands on determines whether the player adds a piece to the pot or wins pieces from it. The game ends if someone wins the whole pot. Then, all players add another piece, and the fun continues.
The origin of this lively game is unclear. Some believe it emerged during the reign of Antiochus IV, when Jewish people were not allowed to practice their faith openly. According to legend, Jews would secretly study the Torah. When Greek troops approached, they hid the sacred texts and pretended to play with the dreidel.
Gifts
Giving gifts is another joyful part of Hanukkah. Traditionally, children received gelt — real or chocolate coins. Some families still follow this custom, but many now exchange larger presents. Unlike Christmas, when gifts are given on just one day, Hanukkah gifts are given on all eight nights. Some families even hide small surprises for each night's candle lighting, adding extra excitement to the celebration.
Happy Hanukkah!
Resources: Wikipedia.org, USAtoday.com, History.com
