Hanukkah is a Jewish celebration often occurring around the Christmas season. ⅔ of American Jews view Hanukkah as “one of the three most important holidays”. Moreover, 60% of them, as well as 73% of Israeli Jews, light candles on each night of this holiday. This is one of the most joyous Jewish holidays, full of special foods, games, and gift-giving while reaffirming the ideals of Judaism. So, we had to ask: What is the most important information you need to know about this year’s Hanukkah (Chanukah)?

👉 Official Name: Hanukkah (Chanukah)
💚 Cause: Commemorate the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem by Jewish warriors
📅 Next Date: December 25, 2024-January 2, 2025
🌐 Official Website: https://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah
🐦 Hashtags: #Hanukkah, #Chanukah, #HappyHanukkah, #FestivalOfLights

Keep reading to find all the important information about Hanukkah (Chanukah) at a glance: its big picture, why it’s important, and how you can get involved. We’ll then share its brief history, three interesting facts about it, its future dates, and how you’ll never miss any important awareness event again.

The Most Important Information About Hanukkah (Chanukah) at a Glance

1️⃣ The big picture: Hanukkah (Chanukah) is a Jewish festival and one of the most popular Jewish religious observances worldwide. This holiday celebrates a Jewish military victory and lasts for eight nights, to commemorate how long the holy light burned after this victory. In addition, Hanukkah is observed through many family-based and communal rituals that are performed every day; lighting the candles of the Hanukkiah, blessing after meals, and daily prayer services. Observers also consume oil-fried or oily foods, offer gifts, and spin dreidels.

2️⃣ Why it is important: Hanukkah celebrates the victory of a group of Jewish fighters and priests known as the Maccabees against ancient Greek rulers who forced Jews to adopt the Hellenistic religion. Thus, this event is a reminder of the right to practice Judaism freely and highlights the crucial importance of religious freedom for people of all faiths worldwide. Moreover, as this observance occurs around the same time as Christmas, it gives the Jewish people the opportunity to celebrate a holiday that maintains their unique identity while also participating in winter festivities. 

3️⃣ How you can celebrate: You can observe Hanukkah by kindling the Hanukkah lights, enjoying fun activities, and taking part in public cultural festivities:

1. Engage in the daily ritual: Each day of Hanukkah, you can light one new candle in the Hanukkiah, a candelabrum with nine wicks, with the help of the middle candle – the shamash. Each night, you light an additional one until all eight candles are lit together on the final night of the festival. 
2. Fun activities: After lighting the candles, it is customary to spin the dreidel, a four-sided spinning top. In addition, you can enjoy traditional oily foods like potato pancakes, jelly donuts, and fritters, which refer to the origin of the celebration and the miracle of the one-day oil supply. 
3. Join public feasts: During Hanukkah, you can organize or participate in family-wide or community celebrations that include specific music, gift-givings, or religious festivities with liturgies and prayers. 

Below are our favorite charities that are relevant for Hanukkah (Chanukah):

• Best Jewish Charities Making an Impact

A Brief History of Hanukkah (Chanukah)

When was this event established: The origins of Hanukkah (Chanukah) go back to the Greek Empire. In 168 BC, under the reign of the Greek King Antiochus IV, the Second Temple of Jerusalem was looted, Jews were massacred, and Judaism was outlawed. Four years later, in 164 BC, Jewish warriors led a revolt against the Seleucid monarchy and recaptured the Temple, which was liberated and rededicated to Judea. The Jews wanted to light the Temple’s candelabrum, having only a one-day supply of oil, which miraculously lasted for eight days. Hanukkah commemorates this miracle and the win against the Greek army. 

How has it developed since then: Today, Hanukkah (Chanukah) is observed for eight nights and days starting on the 25th day of Kislev of the Hebrew calendar, the date when the war finished. Observers light the candles of a multi-branched candelabrum, called a menorah or Hanukkiah. Since the 1970s, Hanukkah has become more widespread because the Chabad Hasidic movement initiated public menorah lightings worldwide. At the same time, in the US, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson called for public awareness and observance of the festival. 

3 Interesting Facts About Hanukkah (Chanukah)

1. The dreidel: The dreidel dates back to ancient Greek and Roman times. The game was played by Jews who illegally studied the Torah in seclusion as they hid during the Greek Empire when Judaism was outlawed. When they could get caught, they’d replace their Torah scrolls with dreidels. Today, each of the dreidel’s sides has one letter which is an abbreviation for “A great miracle happened there”, referring to the miracle of the one-day oil supply.
2. Culture-based feasts: Foods fried or baked in oil are a tradition during Hanukkah, but Jews worldwide have specific meals, depending on their local culture. For example, Israeli families eat jam-filled doughnuts, while Eastern European and American Jews prepare roast goose. Moreover, Indian Jews traditionally consume gulab jamun, Italian Jews eat “frittelle de riso per Hanukkah”, and Romanian Jews prepare pasta latkes. 
3. Political impact: In 1979, Jimmy Carter conducted the first Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony of the National Menorah at the White House. Then, in 1989, George Bush displayed a menorah in the White House and, in 1993, Bill Clinton held a small ceremony in the Oval Office with a group of children. Today, the White House Hanukkah Party is held annually and is hosted by the President and First Lady. 

Upcoming Dates of Hanukkah (Chanukah)

Hanukkah (Chanukah) is observed every year for 8 days between late November and the end of December. The exact dates change every year. It always begins on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar and ends on the 2nd day of Tevet. 

Never Miss an Important Awareness Event Again

Sources

• Temple Betham: The Importance Of Hanukkah
• National Geographic Kids: Hanukkah
• Chabad.org: Chanukah – Hanukkah
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Hanukkah
• Town & Country: 17 Facts About Hanukkah You Probably Didn’t Know
• History.com: Hanukkah
• Wikipedia: Hanukkah
• Wikipedia: Maccabees
• Reform Judaism: 10 Things to Know About Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights
• Global Peace Foundation: “Religious Freedom: An Essential Human Right in a Free and Just Society”
• Reform Judaism: shamash
• Wikipedia: Miracle of the cruse of oil
• Wikipedia: Antiochus IV Epiphanes
• Wikipedia: Second Temple
• Chabad.org: What Is Hanukkah?
• Wikipedia: Menorath
• Reform Judaism: hanukkiah
• Wikipedia: Menachem Mendel Schneerson
• Wikipedia: dreidel
• Wikipedia: gulab jamun
• The Kitchn: Global Fry: 5 Hanukkah Treats from Around the World
• Family Friends Food: NOODLE LATKES – A ROMANIAN HANUKKAH TRADITION
• Wikipedia: White House Hanukkah Party