About Hanukkah

Hanukkah is often called the Jewish Festival of Lights. It's an eight day festival with origins dating back over two centuries, and a major Greeting Card sending occasion.

In the year 164 BCE, a group of Jews called the Maccabees rebelled against the oppressive rule of a Syrian King called Antiochus. In winning the battle, the Macabees regained the Temple of Jerusalem which had been destroyed. At the rededication of the temple, only enough oil was found to light the eternal flame for one day. But a miracle occurred and the flame remained alight for 8 days, enough time for new oil to be sought.

This miracle is celebrated annually as the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. During the eight day festival a candle called the shamash is lit and an additional candle is lit each night, usually in a special candelabrum. Hanukkah is a special time for children with gifts and sweets being given and special games being played with a spinning top called the Dreidel. The dreidel, candles and candelabrum are often featured on Hanukkah cards.

A common confusion is the spelling of the festival. A literal translation from Hebrew results in the spelling Chanukah, while the phonetic spelling is often Hanukkah. You will often find these variations (and others!) are all acceptable: Hanukkah, Hanuka, Chanukah, Chanuka. Don't let this confuse you - they all refer to the Jewish Festival of Light!

The first day of Hanukkah this year is 9th December 2012. (In common with other Jewish occasions, the festival is said to start the night before, on the night of the 1st December).

Asian Everyday