Happy Hanukkah

Today marks the first night of Hanukkah. The holiday runs for eight days and is also called the Festival of Lights, Feast of Dedication and Feast of the Maccabees.

Eight Fast Facts about Hanukkah

1.     Hanukkah can also be spelled Chanukah or Chanukkah.

2.     The holiday celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem around 165 BC.

3.     When the Maccabees began preparing the Temple for the re-dedication, they only had enough oil to light the Temple for one night. The oil ended up lasting for eight days and now candles are lit each night to commemorate the miracle.

4.     The menorah is a symbol of the holiday. The candle stand has nine branches and eight candles, one of which is lit for each day of the holiday. The holder in the middle is for a taller candle that’s used to light all the others. 

 

5.     The candles are placed in the menorah from right to left, but are lit from left to right.

6.     Hanukkah is celebrated each night at sundown.

7.     One symbol of Hanukkah is the dreidel. A game is played with this four-sided spinning top.

8.     Traditional Hanukkah foods, such as the latkes (potato pancakes), are fried in oil, another way to incorporate the memory of the Maccabees into the holiday.

If you’re celebrating this year, try some of these yummy Hanukkah desserts from Martha Stewart. From the entire Harmony Village team, we wish you a Happy Hanukkah!