Beth Israel Community Art Project
Hannukkah
Known as the Jewish Festival of Lights, Jews celebrating Hanukkah light a candleholder called a menorah for eight nights. The menorah holds nine candles—one for each night plus a candle called the shamash used to light the other candles. On the first night, one candle is added to the menorah and lit. On the second night, another candle is added and lit. The adding and lighting of candles continues for eight nights. During these moments, people recite special blessings and prayers, sing songs, and exchange gifts to celebrate the miracle in the temple more than 2,000 years ago.
History
In 175 B.C., King Antiochus, whose ancient kingdom included Judea (located in present-day Israel), made it against the law for people who lived there to practice their religion, called Judaism. Instead, he wanted Jews to worship Greek gods. When they refused, he ordered his troops to destroy the Temple of Jerusalem, an important place of worship for Jews. He replaced the Jewish symbols with an altar dedicated to Zeus, the king of the Greek gods.
The Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, rebelled against King Antiochus. Many historians believe that they battled for about three years to become an independent region so they could practice their religion. Finally, around 164 B.C., the Maccabees, as they were called, defeated King Antiochus and his troops.
When the Maccabees returned to their ransacked temple, they found only one jar of oil—just enough to light the temple’s candles for one day. But according to the Talmud (one of Judaism’s holy texts), the oil miraculously burned for eight days—enough time for the victorious Maccabees to find more oil for their sacred candles.
Restoring the temple and driving out King Antiochus didn’t end the conflict. His followers continued to battle with the Jews for more than 22 years. Finally, in the year 142, the warring groups signed a peace treaty, and the Jews formed their own independent region.
Mural designed by: Sheila Romalis
NOTE FROM THE ARTIST: The English translation of the Hebrew at the top of the mural is: “These candles are sacred (or holy)”, and I took it from the Hanukkiah that my grandfather brought with him from Zhitomir, Ukraine to Calgary, Alberta in 1926. The whole mural has actual items that belong to my family - the Hanukkiah is the one I use every year and is from Haifa, Israel where we lived for 2 years. The tall, green dreidel I bought in the Jewish ghetto area of Venice, the fat, red one I bought in Jerusalem, Israel, and the small yellow/white one I bought in Paris, France.
How Hannukkah is Celebrated Today
Customs
Lighting a menorah, eating doughnuts and latkes, celebrating and having meals with friends and family, playing spin the dreidel
Chanukah or Hanukkah?
How do you spell it? Either is correct! Because the word is translated into English from Hebrew, there are several ways to spell Hanukkah. The two most common spellings are Hanukkah and Chanukah, though according to the Oxford Dictionary, there are actually 24 different ways to spell it!