Hanukkah

Hanukkah History

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the Holy Temple's rededication in Jerusalem after the successful Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. The holiday holds importance because it celebrates the victory of the Jewish people over religious persecution and the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days despite only having enough for one day. The Observance of Hanukkah involves the nightly lighting of the menorah, traditional songs, prayers, and various customs such as eating fried foods and giving gifts, all of which highlight the event's significance to Jewish communities worldwide.

The story of Hanukkah dates back to the second century BCE, when the Jewish people, led by the Maccabees, revolted against their oppressors to regain control of their Holy Temple. The miracle of the oil plays a significant role in the holiday and emphasizes the resilience of the Jewish people. In Canada, Hanukkah is of great importance to the Jewish community, making up approximately 1% of the country's population. While not a public holiday, Canada recognizes and celebrates the diversity of its citizens and their religious practices, which include Hanukkah.

During the Observance of Hanukkah in Canada, Jewish families gather to light the menorah, recite prayers, and sing traditional songs to honor the history and symbolism of the holiday. Families often indulge in festive foods like latkes and sufganiyot, enjoy community gatherings, and exchange gifts. Many Jewish institutions and community centers in Canada hold public menorah lighting, concerts, and parties to bring people together in celebration. Hanukkah typically falls in December, around the same time as Christmas. However, the dates vary according to the lunar Hebrew calendar, reaffirming the parallel importance of the holiday season for Jewish and non-Jewish Canadians.

Hanukkah facts

• It is customary to eat fried foods on Chanukkah because of the significance of oil to the holiday. Among Ashkenazic Jews, this usually includes latkes (potato pancakes fried in oil) and doughnuts.
• A popular game during Hanukkah is dreidel. The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with one Hebrew letter inscribed on each face/side. These letters are Nun (like N), Gimel (like G), Hei (Like H) and Shin (like Sh). These letters stand for the Hebrew phrase Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, a great miracle happened there, referring to the miracle of the oil.
• In 1988, the Calgary Jewish community constructed a 32-foot high menorah, which was displayed in the lobby of the Shell Centre in downtown Calgary. The menorah consisted of nine gas-fired burners, with each of its candles burning at 250,000 BTUs, thus making it the largest and most powerful menorah in the world at the time.
• In 2016, the Canadian Jewish community in Edmonton, Alberta, attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the most dreidels spinning simultaneously. Around 500 people gathered at the Talmud Torah School to participate in this Hanukkah event, though they ultimately fell short of breaking the record, which was held at the time by a group of 965 participants in the United States.

In the News and Trending in Canada for Hanukkah

Top things to do in Canada for Hanukkah

• Play a dreidel game, which consists of spinning a special four-sided block with Hebrew letters. Once you're out of game pieces, you can either get a loan or you're out until one person collects all of the game pieces.
• Make latkes and donuts at home. Many recipes can be found online.
• Give out chocolate gelt (coins) during Hanukkah, which symbolizes the time-honored tradition of giving money as gifts.
• Practice the Jewish tradition of Tzedakah (charitable giving) by donating to local charities or participating in toy drives for underprivileged children during the holiday season.