Article from Issue #4 (December 7, 2018)
Happy Hanukkah 2018
by Catherine Wylie
The Eight Days of Hannukkah
Hanukkah. The Maccabees successfully rebelled against Antiochus IV Epiphanes. According to the Talmud, a late text, the Temple was purified and the wicks of the menorah miraculously burned for eight days, even though there was only enough sacred oil for one day's lighting.
During Hanukkah, on each of the eight nights, a candle is lit in a special menorah (candelabra) called a 'hanukkiyah'. There is a special ninth candle called the 'shammash' or servant candle which is used to light the other candles.
Though Hanukkah is a minor holiday in the Jewish year, its proximity to Christmas has heightened its gift-giving tradition. The old European custom of giving Hanukkah gelt (coins or money) is still around, but the current trend of giving actual gifts really took shape in the 1950s.
Eight affordable gift ideas for each day of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is just around the corner, with the Jewish holiday beginning on Tuesday, Dec. 16 and ending on Wednesday, Dec. 24. Traditionally, gifts were not a part of Hanukkah. Instead, gelt, a small amount of money or chocolate coins were given to children.
Fried foods like potato pancakes (latkas in Yiddish and livivot in Hebrew) and doughnuts (sufganiyot in Hebrew) are traditional Hanukkah treats because they are cooked in oil and remind us of the miracle of the holiday. Some Ashkenazi communities call latkes asputshes or pontshkes.
Wishing everyone celebrating a Happy Hanukkah!
528 Hz Solfeggio Frequency
Spiritual Bypassing: Dealing with Your Reality
AgelessThrival Foundational Pillar #3: Nutrition