Chanukah

Chanukah is one of the most joyful festivals in the Jewish calendar. Over eight days, Jews celebrate the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, after the Maccabees’ victory against oppression, by lighting candles, attending community events, and sharing festive food and gifts.

Chanukah typically falls in December, beginning on 25 Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, and lasts for eight days.

It commemorates the victory of the Maccabees – a small group of Jewish fighters – over the powerful Seleucid Syrian army in 165 BCE and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, marked by the story of the oil that miraculously lasted for eight days.

Traditions associated with Chanukah include:

• Attending special events, including family parties, at a local Progressive Jewish community.
• Lighting the Chanukiah (also known as a menorah), a special nine-branched candleholder, either at home, in the synagogue or at public gatherings.
• Eating oily foods, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and doughnuts, recalling the story of the oil.
• Giving chocolate coins, echoing the tradition of Chanukah gelt, once distributed to teachers and students during the festival.
• Exchanging gifts, a modern development inspired by the festival’s proximity to Christmas.
• Playing dreidel, the spinning top game usually played for chocolate coins or sweets.

The origins of Chanukah lie in a time of upheaval. The Seleucid king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, had seized Jerusalem and desecrated its Holy Temple.

Led by Judah Maccabee and his brothers, the Jewish people reclaimed the city and purified the Temple. They celebrated with an eight-day festival, lighting the Temple Menorah each night.

Centuries later, the Babylonian Talmud recorded the story of a small flask of oil – enough for just one day – that miraculously burned for eight.

This miracle came to symbolise the enduring faith and resilience of the Jewish people, and is why Chanukah is often called the Festival of Lights.

Today, Chanukah invites us to rededicate ourselves to Jewish life and values. It offers a chance to celebrate our identity proudly and publicly –placing a Chanukiah in the window, joining communal lightings, and sharing the joy of the festival with neighbours and friends.

In a world where Jewish visibility can feel challenging, Chanukah reminds us of our strength, our heritage, and our ability to hold our cultural, national, and religious identities in harmony.

If you want to experience Chanukah in a welcoming, inclusive, and egalitarian setting, we’d love to welcome you into one of our Progressive congregations.