![]() ![]() There are different spellings of 'Hanukkah', which is often spelt 'Chanukah', because it is a Hebrew word which is not easy to transliterate into English. ![]() The dreidel gambling game stems from the Greek-Syrian rule when Jews were prevented from studying the Torah, the Hebrew bible, and so whenever a soldier walked by, they would play with dreidels to hide their learning.Īs the Hanukkah miracle involved oil, it is customary to eat foods fried in oil – traditionally in Europe this includes potato latkes and jam-filled doughnuts. If you want to contact Jo directly, you can email him at play with dreidels – square spinning tops – marked with one of four Hebrew letters on each side which stand for "a great miracle happened there". You can read more of his stories here and follow him on social media on Facebook or Twitter. He has previously covered local government in Bolton, Bury, Salford and Wigan. Jo is a Local Democracy Reporter covering councils, the NHS and other local authorities in Manchester and Greater Manchester. The eight-day celebration will end on the evening of Monday, 6 December. This year, the evening of Sunday, November 28 marks the start of Hanukkah. To mark the miracle, Hanukkah lasts for eight days, starting on the 25th of Kislev, four days before the new moon – the darkest night of the month. The celebration takes place in the longest and darkest month of the year. The 'festival of light' usually falls in December, but as it follows the Jewish lunisolar calendar, it can fall in late November or coincide with Christmas. They tried to force the Jews not to follow their religion.Ī small band of Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, rose up and defeated them.Īfter they liberated the second temple, a miracle was said to have happened.Ī multi-branched candelabra known as a menorah was lit and despite the Maccabees only finding a small drop of oil, enough to burn for one day, the oil ended up lasting for eight nights – enough time for more oil to be resupplied. modern-day Israel was ruled by the Seleucids who were Greek-Syrian. Hanukkah is a holiday that celebrates the story of the Maccabees – Jews who rebelled against King Antiochus, the Seleucid ruler of Judea and Samaria. However, despite the infection rate remaining relatively high in boroughs like Salford, Bury and Trafford, the celebrations can go ahead as usual this year. READ MORE: Jewish drag queen on how faith - and grandma's hats - helped them to create their grand dame personaĬovid -safe Hanukkah celebrations, such as drive-in candle lighting events, took place instead of the usual mass gatherings in public squares and parks. īut communities across the region were not allowed to celebrate Hanukkah with other households last year as Tier 3 rules banned meeting in most places. The Jewish festival of light, which lasts eight nights, involves lighting candles on a menorah, eating fried foods and playing with spinning tops called dreidels. If you are looking for a first menorah, a new menorah, or just another beautiful piece to add to your holiday collection, scroll down to find some of our favorites.Jewish communities in Greater Manchester will start celebrating Hanukkah this weekend – and unlike last year, they will be able to enjoy it together. In 2020, this beautiful holiday begins on the evening of December 10 (Gregorian calendar). Every year, Jews around the world celebrate this miracle and the rededication of the Second Temple by lighting eight candles over eight nights, beginning on the 25th of the Hebrew calendar month of Kislev. The Talmud recounts how there was only enough oil to burn the candles for one night, yet by a miracle the oil lasted for eight days. The Second Temple was purified and rebuilt part of the rededication was the lighting of a golden seven-branch candelabra or menorah. With the leadership of Judah Maccabee, the eponymous Maccabees took control of the city. The Jews then began to rebel against the Seleucid ruler. ![]() Many died and the Second Temple was desecrated by the troops. Their religious tolerance towards the Jews ended in 168 BCE, when the king ordered his soldiers to attack the Jewish citizens of Jerusalem. This eight-day festival remembers an important moment in Jewish history: the rededication of the Second Temple.Īround 200 BCE, Judea (the Land of Israel) was conquered by Seleucid kings who worshipped Greek gods. Over eight nights, dreidels spin, songs are sung, and latkes are eaten. A menorah has a branch for each night of Hanukkah (or Chanukah), with a special additional candle known as a shamash for lighting the others. ![]()
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