Hanukkah Traditions
Hanukkah is steeped in traditions like lighting the menorah candles, giving gelt, playing dreidel and cooking and eating foods that contain oil like latkes and jelly dougnuts.History.com: Hanukkah Traditions
Hanukkah Blessings
Three Hanukkah blessings, which are also know as brachos, are spoken while lighting the candles on the menorah at sundown. The first two blessings are spoken each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, while the third is only recited on the first night while lighting the Shamash.About.com: Hannukah Blessings
Traditional Hanukkah Dishes
Fried foods are one of Hanukkah's most delicious traditions. The oil that is used to fry the foods is symbolic of the oil that burned for eight nights during the Maccabees' rebellion. Because oil can be used to produce light, further symbolism is linked to enlightenment.
Dairy foods are also eaten during Hanukkah in honor of Yehudit, a woman who saved her village from Syrians. One of the Syrian tactics against the Jews was to starve them, but Yehudit took cheese and wine to the Syrian governor. After getting him drunk, she beheaded him.About.com: Hanukkah Food
How to Celebrate Hanukkah
Rabbi Eli Levitansky offers information on how to celebrate Hanukkah through this Mahalo.com holiday tutorial. One way the holiday is through the lighting of the menorah each night. Hanukkah is also celebrated with traditional foods and games.
How to Spell Hanukkah
Learn how to spell Hanukkah the traditional way with Rabbi Eli Levitansky of Mahalo.com. The rabbi teaches the traditional spelling of "Chanukah" and offers proper pronunciation tips. For more Hanukkah (Chanukah) tutorials visit the MahaloDotCom YouTube account.
First Night of Hanukkah
Learn about the tradition of celebrating Hanukkah with Rabbi Eli Levitansky. This Mahalo.com produced video is part of a series about Hanukkah published on the Mahalo.com channel on YouTube.
How to Light Hanukkah Candles
Learn how to light Hanukkah candles with Rabbi Eli Levitansky. The menorah is lit with a lighting candle called the shamus. The first night only has one candle with each new night adding a candle. The first night has three blessings and other nights have two. This video is part of a series published on the Mahalo.com channel of YouTube.
Hanukkah Latkes and Sufganiyot
Rabbi Eli Levitansky talks about traditional Hanukkah foods in this video. Featured are latkes and sufganiyot. Full descriptions are provided about the food as well as why they became traditional at Hanukkah time. This Mahalo.com produced video is part of a series about Hanukkah published on the Mahalo.com channel on YouTube.
How to Play the Dreidel on Hanukkah
Rabbi Evi Levitansky discusses how to play the dreidel on Hanukkah. The dreidel is a four sided spinning top played with during the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. This video is part of a wider series available on the Mahalo.com channel of videos available on YouTube.
What is Hanukkah Gelt?
Rabbi Eli Levitansky returns with another Mahalo.com produced video, this one teaches what is Hanukkah gelt? The video focuses on money, which is given to children at Hanukkah. Watch the video to learn more, this video is part of a wider series of videos produced on the Mahalo.com channel of YouTube.
What Time Does Hanukkah begin?
If you have ever wondered when Hanukkah begins, then watch this video which will provide the answer. Hosted by Rabbi Eli Levitansky and produced by Mahalo.com this video is part of the Mahalo.com channel on YouTube.
When is Hanukkah?
If you have ever asked yourself the question when is hanukkah?, watch this video, which will answer all you need to know. The video is hosted by Rabbi Eli Levitanksy and is part of the Mahalo.com channel published on YouTube.
What is Hanukkah?
Rabbi Eli Levitansky discusses what is hanukkah, (the celebration of lights) in this Mahalo.com produced video. The traditions and history of Hanukkah are discussed as well as what it represents today. This video is published on the Mahalo.com channel of YouTube and is part of a wider series focusing on Hanukkah.
References
Fast Facts
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2009 Date
Sunset, December 12 to Sunset, December 19
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Begins
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Ends
2 Tevet or 3 Tevet
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Fact:
The Hebrew word Chanukah means dedicationAish.com: What is Chanukah
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Fact:
Commemorates the Maccabees' successful rebellion against Antiochus IV EpiphanesJewlicious: What is Chanukah
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Fact:
During the rebellion one day's worth of oil lasted 8 nightsChabad: Lighting the Darkness
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Fact:
The middle candle on the menorah is called ShamashNationMaster: Shamash
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Fact:
Hanukkah also known as the Festival of Light and Feast of DedicationCentral Presbyterian Church: What is Hanukkah
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First Lighting
Friday December 11
