Hanukkah

[ hah-nuh-kuh; khah‐Ashkenazic Hebrew khah-nuh-kuh; Sephardic Hebrew khah-noo-kah ]

noun

1. a Jewish festival lasting eight days, celebrated from the 25th day of the month of Kislev to the 2nd of Tevet in commemoration of the rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees following their victory over the Syrians under Antiochus IV, characterized chiefly by the lighting of the menorah on each night of the festival.

Hanukkah

/ ˈhɑːnəkə; xanuˈka; -nʊˌkɑː /

noun

1. the eight-day Jewish festival of lights beginning on the 25th of Kislev and commemorating the rededication of the temple by Judas Maccabaeus in 165 bc Also calledFeast of DedicationFeast of Lights

Hanukkah

1. A festival in Judaism that occurs each December. Hanukkah commemorates the victory of the Jews (see also Jews ) in the second century b.c. over the Syrians, who had occupied their country, and the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem (see also Jerusalem ) ( hanukkah is Hebrew for “dedication”). Observers of Hanukkah light one candle in a candleholder called a menorah each night for eight nights in memory of a legend that, when the Temple was rededicated, its lamps burned, without enough oil, miraculously for a week.

Notes

Hanukkah was formerly one of the less important Jewish festivals, but today it is celebrated by Jews in many parts of the world — especially the United States, where it overlaps with the celebration of Christmas .

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hanukkah¹

First recorded in 1890–95, Hanukkah is from the Hebrew word ḥănukkāh literally, “a dedicating”

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hanukkah¹

from Hebrew, literally: a dedication

Example Sentences

“I had a little wooden rifle that I had been given for Hanukkah,” Brody remembers.

From Salon

Three months after the “Hanukkah miracle,” the Spiegels filed suit in U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

I celebrate Hanukkah, and there was a group of kids that chose to call me names.

From Los Angeles Times

Last month, on the first night of Hanukkah, more than 200 people packed an old ballroom on the third floor of a restored synagogue in Brooklyn.

From New York Times

Its large Hanukkah celebrations have become an annual tradition across the United States and elsewhere, complete with giant menorahs paraded on car rooftops and displayed in other public settings.

From Seattle Times

How Do You Spell Hanukkah?

Spelling tips for Hanukkah

It can be difficult to remember how to spell the word Hanukkah because it has many valid spellings. It is a transliteration, meaning that it’s transcribed from a different alphabet (in this case, Hebrew).

How to spell Hanukkah: By far, the most commonly used spelling is Hanukkah—with one n and two k’s. The spelling Chanukah is also somewhat commonly used. But there are also several other spellings that are considered valid, including Chanoukah and Hannukah.

More About Hanukkah

What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival that commemorates the rededication of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century b.c.e. It usually occurs in December but can also happen in late November and can extend into January.

It can also be spelled Chanukah. It is sometimes called the Feast of Dedication—the word Hanukkah is commonly interpreted as meaning “a dedication” in Hebrew.

More commonly, it’s referred to as the Festival of Lights (or Feast of Lights). That’s because Hanukkah is observed with the lighting of a multi-branched candelabrum called the menorah (or hanukiah or chanukiah). When it has nine candles, one of them is a “starter” (technically called the shammes) that’s used to light the other eight candles. One candle is lit on each subsequent evening of the celebration, until all are lit. Special prayers may be said during the lighting of each candle or at different times of each day.

The tradition of lighting the menorah during Hanukkah is done to commemorate the story of a miracle. According to the story, when the Temple was rededicated, its lamps burned miraculously for a week, even though there was not enough oil to fuel them.

The rededication of the Temple occurred after Judea was liberated from Syrian occupation by the Maccabees, a family of Jews led by Judas Maccabaeus. They defeated the Syrians under Antiochus IV around 165 b.c.e.

Common ways of celebrating Hanukkah include giving gifts to children and loved ones, having family dinners, and eating special foods like latkes. Children sometimes play games with a traditional toy called a dreidel, a kind of four-sided top.

Example: I love spending Hanukkah with my family and lighting the menorah each night!

When is Hanukkah?

The timing of Hanukkah is based on the Jewish calendar and varies from year to year. It is celebrated on the 25th day of the month of Kislev to the 2nd of Tevet. This most often corresponds to an eight-day period in December.

In 2023, Hanukkah will begin on the evening of December 7 and end on the evening of December 15. In 2024, Hanukkah will begin on the evening of December 25 and end on the evening of January 2, 2025.

Where does Hanukkah come from?

Various spellings of the word Hanukkah have been used in English since at least the 1600s. It comes from the Hebrew word ḥănukkāh, which is thought to mean “a dedicating” or “a dedication.”

Hanukkah is thousands of years old, but it’s not one of the holidays mentioned in the canonical Jewish scriptures (the events it commemorates occurred after the writing of the Torah). Instead, it is based on rabbinic tradition. In the context of the Jewish religion, it is not considered one of the most important Jewish holy days. However, it is now celebrated by Jews all over the world, and it is especially popular among Jews in the United States. Hanukkah is also one of the most well-known Jewish holidays among people who are not Jewish, especially due to the fact that it often falls around the Christian holiday of Christmas, making it part of the “holiday season,” especially in the U.S.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to Hanukkah?

• Chanukah (alternate spelling)

What are some synonyms for Hanukkah?

• Festival of Lights
• Feast of Dedication
• Feast of Lights

What are some words that share a root or word element with Hanukkah? 

• hanukiah

What are some words that often get used in discussing Hanukkah?

• Jewish
• holiday
• happy
• menorah
• dreidel
• dedication
• Temple
• December
• latke

How is Hanukkah used in real life?

Hanukkah is a time of celebration for Jews and is well-known even among people who are not Jewish.

Almost the end of Hanukkah :( Lighting the menorah gives me a sense of peace. Should do Shabbat more often because I get that same feeling

— Sara Robbins, APR (@saraxmazing) December 17, 2009

Hanukkah is coming!! The only thing I'd add is that while this is great for Jewish kids of Color, it's also great for white Jewish kids to learn from a young age that white =/= normative in Jewish families.https://t.co/B6J39e7Uq2

— Rabbi Emily Cohen (@ThatRabbiCohen) November 24, 2020

appreciation tweet for the rugrats hanukkah special!!! it’s hard to find jewish representation in the media around the holiday season so this episode has always been really sentimental to me :) pic.twitter.com/20JQBGWnnL

— prince of cats (@haleymailender) December 1, 2020

Try using Hanukkah!

True or False? 

Hanukkah always takes place on the same eight days in December.