What is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah ( also spelled Chanukkah) is an eight-day Jewish festival that celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. It's often referred to as the "Festival of Lights" because of the lighting of candles on a menorah, a nine-branched candelabra.
The story behind Hanukkah involves a group of Jewish rebels known as the Maccabees who fought against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE. After retaking Jerusalem, they found the Second Temple desecrated. With only enough consecrated oil to light the eternal flame for one day, miraculously, it burned for eight days, symbolizing divine intervention.
Hanukkah is celebrated with various traditions, including:
- Menorah lighting: Each night of Hanukkah, a candle is lit on the menorah, starting with the shamash (helper) candle.
- Fried foods: Foods cooked in oil, like latkes (potato pancakes) and doughnuts, are traditionally eaten to commemorate the miracle of the oil.
- Dreidel: A spinning top game played with a dreidel, often with Hebrew letters that spell out "nes gadol haya sham" (a great miracle happened there).
Are you ready to decorate for this wonderful holiday? Read on for 8 inspirational decorating ideas - one for each day of the holiday.
