When it comes to writing about Chanukah, it is difficult to delve with authenticity, and to give a tradition it’s due justice, (especially one that is centuries old) without missing key historical events, but if you were born and raised in the Jewish faith then the history of Chanukah is a part of your personal history, but for those of us/you not familiar with the holiday, we at Presents of Mind will do our best to give you the basics.

The Miracle:

During the second century of BCE there was a revolt against Antiochus IV who had oppressed the Jewish people and desecrated the Temple. The revolution was successful, and the Jewish people were able to reclaim the Temple. During the time of the rededication there was not enough oil (kosher oil) to light the menorah which was to be lit every night. They only had enough oil for one day, but miraculously the oil burned for eight days just long enough for them to create new purified oil for the Temple. Chanukah or Hanukkah  or The Festival of Lights was created to commemorate and to celebrate this miracle of light.

Chanukah takes place on the 25th of the ninth month of the Jewish calendar known as Kislev. This month falls around the same months on the Gregorian calendar as November and December. This year Chanukah begins on December 2oth 2011. Chanukah is one of the best known Jewish holidays because of its proximity to Christmas, although it is not the most religious nor the most important of the Jewish holidays.

How it is celebrated:

The menorah is one of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith. It is the seven branched candelabrum that is lit in the Temple, but what many of us who are not Jewish don’t know is that the candelabrum that is used during Chanukah, the one we all so affectionately call the menorah is actually called the Hanukia. The Hanukia is based off the design of the menorah, but where the menorah has seven branches the Hanukia has nine branches.  There is one candle to represent each of the eight days/ nights that the miracle oil burned in the Temple. The ninth branch which is often placed in the center, and is higher than the other eight is called the shamash. The shamash is meant to light the other eight candles. On the first night a single candle is placed on the far right, and the shamash is lit then three blessings (berakot) are recited, then the candle is lit with the shamash after the blessings are said. The shamash is then returned to the ninth branch, and the candles are left to burn. Each night another candle is added to the Hanukia, and the blessings and lightings are repeated. The candles are always lit from right to left to pay honor to the newest thing first.

A few other traditions:

Fried food is eaten during the holiday in honor of the oil. This is often seen in Latkes also known as potato cakes.

Gelt is small amounts of money, which we now see as chocolate coins. The history of this tradition is that every Jewish person no matter how poor was too celebrate Chanukah, and the poor were to go door to door to gather money in order to afford the Hanukia and the candles. Gelt was to be given to the poor so that everyone could commemorate the miracle equally.

Dreidel is a game that is played. The dreidel is a square top that has four Hebrew letters on each side, Nun, Gimmel, Heh, and Shin. Some sources say that the letters mean: “A great miracle happened here”, but other sources say the letters mean, “nothing”, “all”, “half”, and “put”; which are the rules of the game. It is a gambling game that children play by putting coins or whatever they are betting in the center and then they spin the top. If you get all (gimmel) then you get all the bet, if you get nothing (nun) you win nothing and so on.

Part of our window dressing drawn by Sara Nokes

That is our very simple introduction to Chanukah. If you are in need of a Hanukia, candles or anything fun that you would like in celebration stop by and see what we are carrying. We do sell out, and the holiday is fast approaching.  If you would like to know more about this holiday there are many resources on the web where you can learn more, and in greater detail the history of this tradition, and its significance to the Jewish faith.

Don’t forget this year, 2011, the commemorating of oil, the light, and the miracle begins December 2oth.