The holiday season is officially upon us, meaning Christmas trees are popping up, candles are being bought, and Chanukah menorahs are being pulled out of storage.
I've always been pretty vocal about celebrating Chanuka, even in middle and high school, which means I often answer questions people have about the holiday.
Sharing knowledge is always fun, so I figured I'd compile some of the questions I hear most often for your convenience.
So, without further ado, here is a Hanukkah FAQ!
What is the correct spelling?
Short Answer: Whatever makes sense to you. Follow your heart and be free.
Long Answer: Most variations are correct.
Hebrew as a language can be hard to transliterate because some of our letters don’t have English alphabet equivalents. So, while the beginning of the word makes a throaty CH sound, the transliteration of the letter often comes out as a simple H. It’s also hard to transliterate the hard K sound in the middle. Some people do so with two Ks while others just leave it at one.
A fun game (with some of my friends, at least) is finding the most chaotic and out-there spelling possible. So far, nobody has been able to defeat “janice” from a few years ago.
Why is Hannukah on different days each year?
Technically, Hannukah is on the same day every year...to Jews, that is.
Jewish holidays follow a lunar-based calendar instead of the Gregorian calendar most people are familiar with. A new moon marks the beginning of a month, with each month being 28-30 days long. This means months tend to fluctuate, making it seem as though Jewish holidays like Hannukah happen at different times each year. In reality, Chanukah is always on the 25th of Kislev in the lunar calendar.
Is it just Jewish Christmas?
Nope! While both holidays celebrate miracles and include gift-giving, Hannukah (like many Jewish holidays) celebrates perseverance and faith in the face of adversity. In comparison, Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus.
In fact, Chanukah isn’t even a major holiday. This is one of the minor holidays on the Jewish calendar. It just gets more attention because it consistently occurs around Christmas each year, making it easy for stores and companies to market menorahs next to stockings.
What miracle does Hanukkah celebrate?
It celebrates the miracle of one night’s worth of candle oil lasting eight, instead. The Maccabees were defending their home, family, and religious freedom while taking shelter in a temple. They still wanted to pray each night and light the menorah but only had enough oil for one night. Through a divine miracle, the oil lasted eight nights, and that miracle is what we celebrate.
Which day is the most important?
Each day is equally important because each day is a representation of the ongoing miracle. That being said, we say the most prayers on the first night of Chanukkah: our nightly prayer and two more expressing gratitude for the miracle of the oil lasting eight nights.
In my family, my brother and I have a yearly tradition of arguing over who gets to say the prayers. (I usually win.)
How does lighting the candles work?
Each night will have the shamash (a helper candle we use to light the others) and candles that correspond to what night it is. On the first night, that would be one candle; on the fifth night, that would be five candles.
The shamash candle will usually be on a higher level than the others. Chanukka menorahs have nine candle spots, with one higher than the others. If a menorah only has eight, then it’s not Hannukah-appropriate. Non-shamash candles are placed in the menorah from right to left, and they’re lit in that order as well.
Is this an eating or a fasting holiday, and if the former what do you eat?
An eating holiday!
We’re celebrating a miracle, so good food is definitely part of that. We usually eat sufganiyot, Israeli jelly-filled donuts, and latkes, which are potato pancakes. Basically, fried food is the name of the game since oil is the miracle.
Have a question I didn’t list? Ask in the comments! I’ll be happy to answer it for you.
In the meantime, here are a few books to get you in the Chanuka spirit:
From picture books to cookbooks, there's something here for everyone to read this Hanukkah!
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