Holidays Around the World

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Holidays Around the World
Hanukkah
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Hanukkah

• Chanukah is an eight day holiday which begins on
  the 25th day of the month of Kislev. It marks the
  miraculous victory of the Jews, led by the
  Maccabees, against Greek persecution and
  religious oppression. In addition to being
  victorious in war, another miracle occurred When
  the Maccabees came to rededicate the Temple, they
  found only one flask of oil with which to light
  the Menorah. This small flask lasted for eight
  days. In order to commemorate this miracle, we
  light a Menorah for the eight days of Chanukah.

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• On the first night of Chanukah, one light is
  lit and on each successive night another light is
  added until the eighth night when all the lights
  are lit. When one lights on the first night, one
  lights the one on the extreme right. The
  following night he adds the one immediately to
  the left and kindles it first. He then turns to
  the right and kindles the light of the previous
  night. He follows the same procedure each night
  always adding from right to left but always
  lighting from left to right.
• The reason for this procedure
• is that the additional light
• recalls the greatness and
• growth of the miracle.

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The Candles The First Blessing
Blessed are You, the Lord our G-d, King of the
Universe, Who sanctified us with His
commandments, and commanded us to kindle the
Chanukah light.
"Baruch ata Ado-nai, Elo-heinu Melech ha'olam,
Asher kid'shanu b'mitzvosav v'tzivanu l'hadlik
ner shel Chanukah
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The Second Blessing

• Blessed are You, the Lord our G-d, King of the
  universe, Who made miracles for our forefathers,
  in those days at this season.

"Baruch ata Ado-nai, Elo-heinu Melech
ha'olam, She'asah nisim la'avoseinu, bayamim
ha'hem baz'man hazeh"
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The Third BlessingThis blessing is said on the
first night only.

• Blessed are You, the Lord our G-d, King of the
  universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us,
  and brought us to this season.

"Baruch ata Ado-nai, Elo-heinu Melech ha'olam,
She'hecheyanu, vekiyemanu vehigi'anu laz'man
hazeh"
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This paragraph is said each night, after the
first light has been kindled

• We kindle these lightsFor the miracles and
  the wondersFor the redemption and the
  battlesWhich You performed for our
  forefathersIn those days at this seasonThrough
  Your holy priests.During all eight days of
  ChanukahThese lights are sacredAnd we are not
  permitted to make ordinary use of themBut only
  to look at themIn order to express thanks and
  praise to Your great NameFor Your miracles, Your
  wonders, and Your salvations.

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Gelt

• Savings bonds, checks, and small chocolate coins
  wrapped in gold foil-these are the modern
  incarnations of the traditional gift known as
  Hanukkah gelt. Gelt is a Yiddish term for
  money.
• Although it is an old and cherished custom, the
  roots of geltgiving go back much further than
  the Middle Ages, the era in which the custom is
  usually said to have originated.

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The Dreidel

• Dreidel is a derivative of a German word
  meaning top and the game is an adaptation of
  an old gambling game. Hanukkah was one of the few
  times of the year when rabbis permitted games of
  chance. The dreidel, therefore, was a natural
  candidate for Hanukkah entertainment.

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• The four sides of the top bear four Hebrew
  letters nun, gimel, hei, and shin. Players would
  begin by anteing a certain number of coins,
  nuts, or other objects. Each one in turn would
  then spin the dreidel and proceed as follows nun
  (nichts) take nothing gimel (ganz) take
  everything hei (halb) take half shin
  (shtell) put in.

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• The winner would often receive money (Hanukkah
  gelt). Over time, the gambling terms were
  reinterpreted to stand for the Hebrew phrase Nes
  Gadol Hayah Sham, A great miracle happened
  there. Thus, even an ordinary game of chance was
  invested with Jewish values and served to remind
  Jews of the important message of Hanukkah. Today,
  Jewish children throughout the world continue to
  enjoy the game of dreidel. In Israel, one letter
  on the dreidel has been changed. The shin has
  been replaced with a pei, transforming the Hebrew
  phrase into Nes Gadol Hayah Po. A great miracle
  happened here.

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Latkes

• A favorite Hanukkah food is latkes,or potato
  pancakes. Originally, the pancakes were made of
  cheese. From the custom of eating cheese
  delicacies grew the custom of eating pancakes of
  all kinds.
• During the Middle Ages, Jews explained this
  custom by connecting it with the story of Judith
  which they linked with the story of Hanukkah.
• Judith, according to legend, was a daughter of
  the Hasmoneans. She fed cheese to the leader of
  the enemies of the Jews. He was made thirsty by
  the cheese and began to drink much wine. When he
  grew quite drunk she cut off his head. For this
  reason, it was said, Jews eat cheese delicacies
  on Hanukkah.