Hannkuah started Tuesday night and will continue until Wednesday, December 20. While the holiday is not as widely celebrated in the United States as Christmas, it is still important to know the basics. So here are ten fast facts about Hannukah.
1. There are multiple ways to spell it.
Hannukah is a Hebrew word. It is spelled חֲנֻכָּה. So Hannukah is just a transliteration. But other popular spellings are: Chanukah, Channukah, Hannukkah, and Hanukkah.
2. It starts at sundown and ends at sundown.
All Jewish holiday are like this. According to the Jewish calendar, a day begins at nightfall. This is based off of the Genesis story of Creation.
3. There is a story behind it.
The Jews were oppressed by the Greeks. They were not allowed to study from the Torah in public and had to be secretive to do so. The Maccabees fought to keep their rights. The Maccabees were severely out-numbered, so it was a miracle that they won. But the Greeks had made the oil to light the Temple impure. The Maccabees found only one jar that could be used, but it would have only been enough for one day. The miracle of light comes from the fact the oil lasted for eight whole days.
4. So there are certain foods eaten too.
Since the story is about the oil lasting for eight days, we are supposed to eat greasy food. This can include latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiote (jelly donuts)
5. It is not as important of a holiday to Jews as Christmas is to Christians.
Hannukah is not a major holiday in Judaism. Instead, the two most significant holidays already happened this year. Rosh Hashannah (New Year) was on September 20, and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) was on September 29.
6. So gifts weren’t really a big thing until Christmas made it so.
It wasn’t until the nineteenth century that American Hannukah started to include gift giving. It was almost to keep in the “American tradition.”
7. The dreidel has meaning.
The little spinning top has four sides that each mean something for the game but also as a sentence together. Gimel (ג) mean you get the whole pot. Shin (ש) means you put one coin (or gelt) in. Nun (נ) means you get nothing, and hay (ה) means you get half of the pot.
8. The menorah is lit each night.
The menorah is lit from left to right. One candle for each night.
9. And, yes, there are nine candles instead of eight.
The ninth candle is the “helper candle” and doesn’t symbolize a night. It is the one that lights the others.
10. There are songs for Hannukah, just not as many or as popular as for Christmas.
While the dreidel song may be what comes to mind, there are modern day songs about Hannukah too. These include: “8 Days of Hannukah” by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, “Chanukah (Shake It Off)” by Six13, N/A, and Woody Guthrie’s “Hanukkah Dance.” There’s even a Spotify playlist that has a bunch.
Happy Hannukah, collegiettes!