This year, Hanukkah starts at sunset on Thursday, December 10. Each year, Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of Kislev, which is the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar. The Hebrew calendar is lunar, as opposed to the Gregorian calendar that most of the world uses, which is solar.
Q. Does Hanukkah always start on a Friday?
In 2020, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Thursday, December 10, and continues through Friday, December 18. The first candle is lit on the Chanukiah (menorah) on this date. Note: Hanukkah begins and ends at sundown on the dates listed below.
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Q. Does Hanukkah begin on the same day every year?
Although Hanukkah always begins on the 25th day of Kislev, that date can fall anywhere between late November and late December on the Gregorian calendar. So that’s why Hanukkah always changes dates every year on the Gregorian calendar… while always being on the same date every year on the Jewish calendar!
Q. What is done on each day of Hanukkah?
Each night at sundown, family and friends gather to light another candle on the hanukkiah. Songs and prayers are often said, and then it’s time to eat! To celebrate the history of the holiday many traditional dishes are cooked using lots of oil. The tradition is to give coins or even bills, called Hanukkah Gelt.
Q. What do Jews do on first night of Hanukkah?
On the first night of Hanukkah one light (candle or oil) is lit on the right side of the menorah, on the following night a second light is placed to the left of the first but it is lit first, and so on, proceeding from placing candles right to left but lighting them from left to right over the eight nights.
Q. Why is the menorah lit for 8 days?
In order to rededicate the temple, the Maccabees had to light a menorah that would burn within the temple at all times. However, they only had enough pure olive oil to last for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, leaving time to find a fresh supply of oil.
Q. What is the story behind Hanukkah?
The story of Hanukkah celebrates the tale of the Maccabees, who defeated the Greek King Antiochus’ troops after a three year war. It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the 167-160 BCE revolt against the Seleucid Empire.
Q. Why do Jews celebrate Hanukkah kids?
Hanukkah (also Chanukah) is the Jewish Festival of Lights. The word Hanukkah means rededication. Every year, the celebration honors the hard-fought victory of those trying to keep their faith despite a powerful enemy.
