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Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive December 2004: Hanukkah questions
First Happy Hanukkah. I am going to celebrate with my family this year and have a few questions. I am surfing the net for info after this post, but we always get the best answers here! What is the Biblicial reference to where the story is found? What does your family do to celebrate? I am going to buy driedles and gelt today, money is too tight to buy a menorah, so we are going to fake it I think. I also thought I would try to cook something. I vaguely recall having some sort of soup and potato latkes, but I am not sure. Anyway, I would love more info from any of our Jewish families here!
I'm not Jewish, but I wanted to say:
Here is the "about.com" link:
Iam one of the Jewish families here. My and my kids are Jewish my husband is not. Im not a very religious Jewish person. I was also doing some research on the net as well. I saw one site saying that there is no Hanukah story related in the bible.
Happy Hannukah!!!
This Jewish Feast of Lights commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after three years of war, when the Jews vanquished their Greek occupiers in 165 BC Among its traditions are: Menorahs: One day's worth of oil was found in the war's aftermath to light the temple menorah. But it lasted eight days, until a fresh flask was obtained. This ``miracle'' is celebrated by lighting one candle on a menorah each night. Dreidels: At a time when Jews were executed for studying the Torah, these spinning tops were kept nearby so that a game could quickly be started and the scriptures hidden if soldiers appeared. Gelt, or chocolate Hanukkah coins: First used by children in Europe in the Middle Ages as a pot for a game of dreidel. Latkes and Sufganiyot: Such fried dishes are a reminder of the long-burning temple oil. Latkes are potato pancakes, sufganiyot are jelly doughnuts. Hanukkah, the eight-day "Festival of Lights" commemorating the Macabees' victory over a larger Syrian army in 165 B.C. Once the Jews defeated the Hellenist Syrians at the end of a three-year rebellion, the temple in Jerusalem, which had been seized by the occupiers and dedicated to the worship of Zeus, was re-dedicated by Judas Maccabe, who had led the insurgency triggered by his father, a high priest named Mattathias. Maccabe and his soldiers, who wanted to light the temple's ceremonial lamp as part of their rededication, found only enough oil to burn for one day. But, in what was regarded as a miracle, the oil burned for eight days. Hanukkah – it means dedication in Hebrew – is observed around the world by lighting one candle in a menorah each day at sundown for eight days. On each night of Hanukkah, the menorah is lit to commemorate a miracle which occurred after the Jews proclaimed victory over the Syrian armies in 165 B.C.E. When Jews came to rededicate the Temple—which had been defiled by the Syrians—they found only one small flask of oil with which to light the menorah. This flask contained only enough oil for one day, yet the lamp burned for eight days (by which time a fresh supply of oil was obtained). On the first night of Hanukkah, one light is lit. On each successive night a light is added until the eighth night, when all the lights are lit. The addition of light recalls the greatness and growth of the miracle. Candles are placed in the menorah from right to left, but lit from left to right. The highest candle, known as the Shamash or "servant", is used to light the other candles. Blessings are recited each night before the lights are kindled. In ancient times, olive oil was used in Hanukkah menorahs. Over time, colorful candles were substituted. In Israel, the Hanukkah menorah is called the Hanukiyah Menorahs come in all shapes and sizes. The only requirement is that the flames are separated enough so that they will not look too big and resemble a pagan bonfire. Ancient menorahs were made of clay. They consisted of small, pearl shaped vessels, each with its own wick, which were arranged side-by-side. Today's menorah, which stands on a base from which the branches sprout, resembles the holy Temple's menorah and started to appear towards the end of the Middle Ages. The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter inscribed on each side. In America the letters stand for "A Great Miracle Happened There". In Israel the letters mean "A Miracle Happened Here". Each player receives a given number of coins or candy pieces. Before spinning the dreidel, each player puts a fixed proportion of the amount received into the "kupah" or kitty. Each player in turn spins the dreidel. When the dreidel falls, it will fall on one of the 4 letters. According to the letter, the following will happen:  Nun - no win / no lose  Gimmel - take all (from the kitty)  Heh - take half (from the kitty)  Peh or Shin - lose (what you deposited)The game continues until players have run out of 'funds' or it is agreed to stop (anyone losing all funds is out of the game). The dreidel game was popular during the rule of Antiochus before the Maccabees' revolt, a time when soldiers executed any Jews who were caught practicing their religion. When pious Jews gathered to study the Torah, they had the top ready in case they heard soliders approaching. If the soldiers appeared, they would hide the holy scriptures and pretend to play with the dreidl. In Israel the dreidel is called a sivivon. The yiddish word "dreidel" is derived from the German word "drehen", or "turn".
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