The seven lamps allude to the branches of human knowledge, represented by the six lamps inclined inwards towards, and symbolically guided by, the light of God represented by the central lamp The menorah also symbolizes the creation in seven days, with the center light representing the Sabbath

16 Classic Recipes You Can’t Celebrate Hanukkah Without

• of 16 Classic Latkes
• of 16 Slow-Cooker Brisket
• of 16 Sweet Noodle Kugel
• of 16 Matzo Ball Soup
• of 16 Best-Ever Beef Brisket
• of 16 Instant Pot Applesauce
• of 16 Cinnamon Apple Cake
• of 16 Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Eight candles symbolize the number of days that the Temple lantern blazed; the ninth, the shamash, is a helper candle used to light the others Families light one candle on the first day, two on the second (and so on) after sundown during the eight days of Hanukkah, while reciting prayers and singing song

A: The candles are lighted in the opposite direction from how they are placed in the chanukiah They are lighted from left to right, so that the newest candle is always lighted first The newest candle is lit first (On the Shabbat of Hanukkah, kindle the Hanukkah lights first and then the Shabbat candles)

The ninth lamp is called a shamash, a “servator,” and it symbolically differentiates the eight holy flames from other, mundane light sources It is usually used to light the other eigh

7 The sabbath year (shmita; Hebrew: שמיטה, literally “release”), also called the sabbatical year or shǝvi’it ( שביעית, literally “seventh”), is the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah for the Land of Israel and is observed in contemporary Judaism

Shamash

The menorah is first mentioned in the biblical book of Exodus (, according to which the design of the lamp was revealed to Moses by God on Mount Sinai

The menorah was engraved in stone around years ago and found in a synagogue recently discovered by the Sea of Galile

The eight-day Jewish celebration known as Hanukkah or Chanukah commemorates the rededication during the second century BC of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where according to legend Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revol

Temple in Jerusalem

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday which celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the larger Syrian army It also celebrates a miracle that happened during this time, where just a day’s supply of oil allowed the menorah (Hanukkiah or Hanukkah Menorah) in the rededicated Temple in Jerusalem to remain lit for eight days

On the first night of Hanukkah add this blessing: Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, shehecheyanu v-ki’y’manu v-higianu la-z’man ha-zeh Blessed are you, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season

Hanukkah commemorates a historical event that took place in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE, when the Seleucid Greek empire was the ruling power In 168 BCE, the king Antiochus IV Epiphanes outlawed Jewish practice and defiled the Jewish Temple in the city by installing an altar to Zeus Olympios and sacrificing pig

Many modern Jewish families celebrate by lighting the hanukkiah One candle per night of Hanukkah is lit, like Hebrew is read, from right to left People might also play dreidel games and eat certain foods like sufganiyot (similar to jelly donuts) and latkes (fried potato pancakes)

Dreidel, latkes and more: Six words to explore the Hanukkah story and traditions

• Hanukkiah The most famous symbol of Hanukkah is the hanukkiah, the nine-branched candelabra which is lit each night, and can often be seen in house windows
• Shammash
• Dreidel (or sevivon)
• Hanukkah ‘gelt’
• Fried food
• Maccabees

12 Fun Hanukkah Facts

• What is Hanukkah?
• Hanukkah lasts for eight nights, to commemorate how long the holy light burned
• A Menorah is lit each night of the holiday
• Gifts were not always given for Hanukkah
• Hanukkah dishes are fried for a reason
• Grand Army Plaza in New York Reportedly Has the Largest Menorah in the World

Hanukkah Colors: Blue and Whit

The Hebrew letters inscribed on a dreidel are a Nun, Gimel, Hey or Chai, and Shin The letters form an acronym for the Hebrew saying Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, which can be translated to “a great miracle happened there,” referring to the miracle which Hanukkah is centered around What is the significance of the dreidel?

Every player puts one in the pot after every turn Each player spins the dreidel once during their turn Depending on which side is facing up when the dreidel stops spinning, the player either gives or takes game pieces from the pot If נ (nun) is facing up, the player does nothing

The dreidel has a Hebrew letter on each of its four sides The nun, gimel, hei, and shin stand for the saying, “Nes Gadol Hayah Sham,” which translates to “a great miracle occurred there”

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Shin also stands for the word Shaddai, a name for God Because of this, a kohen (priest) forms the letter Shin with his hands as he recites the Priestly Blessing The text contained in the mezuzah is the Shema Yisrael prayer, which calls the Israelites to love their God with all their heart, soul, and strength

One thing that every Hanukkah celebration has in common is the gelt The word “gelt” means “money” in both Hebrew and Yiddish Chocolate gelt are the chocolate coins that are typically given to children during Hanukkah Jewish or not, you’ve probably seen the familiar mesh bags with the shiny wrappers insid

Hanukkah History: Those Chocolate Coins Were Once Real Tips : The Salt Many Jewish families celebrate the holiday by handing out gelt, chocolate coins covered in gold and silver These days they’re treats for kids But the practice began as a way to thank labo

Parents didn’t want their children to feel left out as their peers received presents every December “[Parents] saw that [giving gifts] was a way of creating joy around the time of Hanukkah,” Creditor says “I think it wasn’t to be like Christmas, it was so that Jewish children would have joy on Hanukka