Hanukkah is one of the most joyful and beloved celebrations in the Jewish calendar. Lasting eight nights, it commemorates a miraculous military victory and an even more miraculous miracle of light — the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 165 BCE, and the oil that burned for eight days when it should have lasted only one.
Chag Hanukkah Sameach — "Happy Hanukkah"
The Story: The Maccabees and the Miracle
In the 2nd century BCE, the Land of Israel was under the rule of the Seleucid Greek empire. King Antiochus IV Epiphanes issued a series of decrees outlawing Jewish religious practice — forbidding Shabbat observance, circumcision, and Torah study. He desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem, placing a Greek idol on the altar and sacrificing pigs there.
A priestly family from the town of Modi'in — Mattityahu and his five sons, known as the Maccabees (from the Hebrew word for "hammer") — led a Jewish revolt against the Greeks. Against overwhelming odds, this small band of fighters defeated the most powerful army of their age and liberated Jerusalem after three years of fighting.
When they entered the Temple to rededicate it, they found only one small cruse of ritually pure olive oil — enough to light the Temple Menorah for a single day. Yet miraculously, this small amount of oil burned for eight full days — exactly enough time to produce a new supply of pure oil. This is the miracle of Hanukkah.
Lighting the Hanukkiah
The central mitzvah of Hanukkah is hadlakat nerot — the lighting of the Hanukkiah (the eight-branched Hanukkah menorah, plus a ninth branch for the shamash or helper candle used to light the others).
The Hanukkiah is lit each night after nightfall, placed in a window or doorway to publicize the miracle to the outside world — fulfilling the mitzvah of pirsumei nisa (publicizing the miracle).
The lighting procedure:
- Candles are added from right to left (new candle on the left)
- Lighting proceeds from left to right (newest candle first)
- On night one, one candle (plus the shamash); on night two, two candles; and so on up to eight
- Three blessings are said on the first night; two on subsequent nights
- After lighting, the Hanerot Halalu declaration is recited, followed by Maoz Tzur
The Three Blessings
2. She'asah Nisim — "...Who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time"
3. Shehecheyanu — "...Who has kept us alive and sustained us and enabled us to reach this moment" (first night only)
Maoz Tzur: Rock of Ages
Maoz Tzur ("Rock of Ages" or "Fortress, Rock of My Salvation") is the traditional Hanukkah song sung after lighting the candles. Written in the medieval period, it recounts Jewish history's great salvations — from Egypt to Babylon to Persia to Greece. Its tune is one of the most recognized in all of Jewish music.
Traditional Hanukkah Foods
Hanukkah foods center on oil, celebrating the miracle of the oil:
- Latkes — potato pancakes fried in oil, a beloved Ashkenazi tradition, served with sour cream or applesauce
- Sufganiyot — Israeli jelly doughnuts, fried in oil; the most popular Hanukkah food in Israel
- Bimuelos — Sephardic fried honey fritters
- Cheese dishes — especially among Sephardic communities, commemorating Judith, the heroine who saved her city
The Dreidel (Sevivon)
The dreidel (Yiddish) or sevivon (Hebrew) is a four-sided spinning top with one Hebrew letter on each face: Nun, Gimel, Hey, Shin — an acronym for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham — "A great miracle happened there." (In Israel, the Shin is replaced with a Peh — Nes Gadol Hayah Poh — "here.")
Children and adults play the dreidel game with chocolate coins (gelt) or real coins. One legend holds that during the Greek persecution, Jews secretly studied Torah and would spin dreidels when soldiers approached, pretending they were just playing a game.
Hanukkah Gelt
Gelt (Yiddish for "money") — the tradition of giving children small amounts of money on Hanukkah — has ancient roots. Originally a way to honor Torah teachers and encourage Torah study, it evolved into a cherished tradition. In the modern world, chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil have become a Hanukkah staple, and many families give actual gifts, especially in communities where children are surrounded by the December gifting culture.
Hallel and Al HaNisim
Two special additions are made to prayers throughout Hanukkah:
- Hallel — the full Hallel (Psalms 113–118 of praise) is recited during morning prayers on all eight days
- Al HaNisim — a special prayer of thanks for the miracles, added to the Amidah and Birkat HaMazon (Grace after Meals)
Hanukkah in the Darkest Season
Hanukkah falls at the time of the winter solstice — the darkest time of year in the Northern Hemisphere. There is profound symbolism in this timing: when the world is at its darkest, Jewish families light their menorahs in their windows, pushing back the darkness one candle at a time. The rabbinic message is clear — even a small light can dispel great darkness. Even a single act of courage, faith, or kindness can make a difference in a world that feels overwhelming.
"A little light pushes away much darkness."
— Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi
This is the deepest message of Hanukkah: that the human spirit, like the oil in the Temple, can burn far longer than anyone expects — if it is pure, and if it is dedicated to something greater than itself. Chag Urim Sameach — Happy Festival of Lights!