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HAPPY HANUKKAH
Hanukkah
is celebrated for eight days and nights, starting on the 25th of Kislev
on the Hebrew calendar (which is November-December on the Gregorian
calendar). In Hebrew, the word "Hanukkah" means "dedication."
The holiday commemorates the rededication of the holy Temple in
Jerusalem after the Jews' 165 B.C.E. victory over the Hellenist
Syrians. Antiochus, the Greek King of Syria, outlawed Jewish rituals
and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods.
In 168 B.C.E. the Jews' holy Temple was seized and dedicated to the
worship of Zeus.
Some Jews were afraid of the Greek soldiers and obeyed them, but most
were angry and decided to fight back.
The fighting began in Modiin, a village not far from Jerusalem. A Greek
officer and soldiers assembled the villagers, asking them to bow to an
idol and eat the flesh of a pig, activities forbidden to Jews. The
officer asked Mattathias, a Jewish High Priest, to take part in the
ceremony. He refused, and another villager stepped forward and offered
to do it instead. Mattathias became outraged, took out his sword and
killed the man, then killed the officer. His five sons and the other
villagers then attacked and killed the soldiers. Mattathias' family
went into hiding in the nearby mountains, where many other Jews who
wanted to fight the Greeks joined them. They attacked the Greek
soldiers whenever possible.
Judah Maccabee and his soldiers went to the holy Temple, and were
saddened that many things were missing or broken, including the golden
menorah. They cleaned and repaired the Temple, and when they were
finished, they decided to have a big dedication ceremony. For the
celebration, the Maccabees wanted to light the menorah. They looked
everywhere for oil, and found a small flask that contained only enough
oil to light the menorah for one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for
eight days. This gave them enough time to obtain new oil to keep the
menorah lit. Today Jews celebrate Hanukkah for eight days by lighting
candles in a menorah every night, thus commemorating the eight-day
miracle.
The Menorah
On each night of Hanukkah, the menorah is lit to
commemorate a miracle which occurred after the Jews proclaimed victory over the
Syrian armies in 165 B.C.E. When Jews came to rededicate the Temple-which had
been defiled by the Syrians-they found only one small flask of oil with which to
light the menorah. This flask contained only enough oil for one day, yet the
lamp burned for eight days (by which time a fresh supply of oil was
obtained).
– In Israel, the Hanukkah menorah is called the Hanukiyah
Menorahs come in
all shapes and sizes. The only requirement is that the flames are separated
enough so that they will not look too big and resemble a pagan bonfire.
–
Ancient menorahs were made of clay. They consisted of small, pearl shaped
vessels, each with its own wick, which were arranged side-by-side.
– Today's
menorah, which stands on a base from which the branches sprout, resembles the
holy Temple's menorah and started to appear towards the end of the Middle Ages
Latkes at Hanukkah
The most popular themes throughout the Hanukkah dishes are the use of oil.
The oil reminds us of the oil which burned eight days instead of one. Latkes are
potato pancakes made from grated potatoes mixed with eggs, onions, and flour,
then fried in vegetable oil. The texture is crispy on the outside and tender
within. They're served hot and often dipped in apple sauce or sour cream. The
Maccabbee soliders ate latkes made from cheese, vegetables, or fruits which were
brought to them on the battlefields. However, they didn't eat potato latkes, as
potatoes weren't available until the 16th century.
Hanukkah Dreidel
The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter inscribed on
each side. In America the letters stand for "A Great Miracle Happened There". In
Israel the letters mean "A Miracle Happened Here". Each player receives a given
number of coins or candy pieces. Before spinning the dreidel, each player puts a
fixed proportion of the amount received into the "kupah" or kitty. Each player
in turn spins the dreidel. When the dreidel falls, it will fall on one of the 4
letters. According to the letter, the following will happen: Nun – no win / no
lose Gimmel – take all (from the kitty) Heh – take half (from the kitty) Peh or
Shin – lose (what you deposited) The game continues until players have run out
of 'funds' or it is agreed to stop (anyone losing all funds is out of the game).
The dreidel game was popular during the rule of Antiochus before the Maccabees'
revolt, a time when soldiers executed any Jews who were caught practicing their
religion. When pious Jews gathered to study the Torah, they had the top ready in
case they heard soliders approaching. If the soldiers appeared, they would hide
the holy scriptures and pretend to play with the dreidl. In Israel the dreidel
is called a sivivon. The yiddish word "dreidel" is derived from the German word
"drehen", or "turn".
Sufganiyot - Hanukkah Jelly Donuts
Sufganiyot are jelly doughnuts without the hole. They're dropped into hot oil
without being shaped and come out in odd, funny shapes, then covered in powdered
sugar and/or cinnamon. Sufganiyot are particularly popular in Israel, where they
are sold on stands in the streets over a month before hanukkah begins.