Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah, is a significant Jewish festival celebrated annually for eight nights. Known as the “festival of lights,” it is a time of joyous observance for Jewish people around the world. But Why Is Hanukkah Celebrated each year? The answer lies in events that occurred centuries ago, commemorating both a historical victory and a miraculous occurrence.
Hanukkah, meaning “dedication” in Hebrew, marks the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BC. This rededication followed a successful revolt led by the Maccabees against foreign forces who had occupied and desecrated the Temple. In 167 BCE, the Seleucid Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes imposed Hellenistic religion and outlawed Jewish practices. This led to the Maccabean revolt, a fight for religious freedom against overwhelming odds. After a three-year struggle, the Maccabees, a small band of Jewish fighters, successfully drove out the Seleucids and reclaimed the Temple. This victory in itself is a central reason for the celebration of Hanukkah, representing resilience and the triumph of faith against oppression.
Upon rededicating the Temple, the Maccabees sought to relight the Temple’s menorah, a sacred candelabrum which was supposed to burn continuously. However, they found only a single flask of ritually pure olive oil, enough to burn for just one day. Miraculously, this small amount of oil burned for eight full days and nights, providing enough time to produce new pure oil. This miraculous event is the second core reason why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days. The miracle of the oil is commemorated through the central Hanukkah ritual: the lighting of the menorah each night for eight nights.
A brightly lit Hanukkah menorah stands in a window in North Haledon, New Jersey, during the 2022 festival of lights.
The celebration of Hanukkah in modern times retains these core historical and miraculous elements. Jewish people of all denominations observe Hanukkah by lighting a special menorah, called a Hanukkiah, each night. One candle is lit on the first night, two on the second, and so on, until eight candles are lit on the final night. This practice directly commemorates the eight days the oil miraculously burned. The menorah is traditionally placed in a window or doorway to publicly proclaim the miracle.
Foods fried in oil are also a significant part of Hanukkah celebrations, further recalling the miracle of the oil. Latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts) are popular Hanukkah treats. Beyond these traditions, Hanukkah is also a time for giving to charity, spending time with family and friends, and emphasizing the message of light overcoming darkness. It’s a holiday that reinforces the idea that even a small amount of light can dispel great darkness and that perseverance and faith can lead to miracles.
Hanukkah in 2023 is observed from the evening of December 7th to the evening of December 15th. Each year, Hanukkah serves as a reminder of the Jewish people’s strength, resilience, and the enduring power of faith, answering the question of why Hanukkah is celebrated with a story of historical triumph and divine miracle.
A table is adorned with colorful dreidels, traditional spinning tops used during Hanukkah celebrations, at a pre-Hanukkah event in 2018.
