Celebrating Hanukkah

The menorah is the centerpiece of the eight-day Festival of Lights known as Hanukkah. Here's the ritual used in lighting it.

Most likely the idea for a Hanukkah bush arose when some child visited his non-Jewish friends at Christmastime, fell in love with the glowing, magical tree ' and then went home and told his...

“Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay…” Even if you’re not Jewish, the odds are that this catchy little song has gotten stuck in your head at least once—and even if you are Jewish, you...

Preparing for Hanukkah is almost as exciting as the holiday itself. Serving holiday foods, playing dreidel and retelling the history of Hanukkah lifts spirits in the dark of winter and reminds...

Remember that Hanukkah is not actually a very important holiday on the Jewish calendar. Understanding its significance means retelling the history behind it and celebrating as your family...

The candleabra lit by Jews during the holiday of Hanukkah recalls a miracle which occured during the Hellenistic era. The Oral Tradition includes the story of this miracle, in which the Maccabees...

The eight-day celebration of Hanukkah is a time of great joy as millions of Jewish people celebrate their religion and culture. Along with lighting the menorah, playing spin the dreidel and...

The Maoz Tzur is a religious chant (or piyyut) that Hebrews traditionally sing after kindling the Chanukiah (or Hanukkah menorah) and reciting the Brachah Hanukkak blessings. Although the words...

In Judaism, the Shabbat (or Sabbath) refers to the seventh day being an ordained day of rest following the six days it took to create the earth. An important ritual to observe, the Shabbat...

Hanukkah is a time to gather with friends and family to celebrate traditions, old and new. Such memory-filled moments beg to be captured and the perfect way to so do is to make a Hanukkah...

Hanukkah is characterized by many symbols that reflect the meaning of the holiday and why it is so celebrated. At times, it's nice to be able to express our Hanukkah blessings through the use of...

Adam Richard Sandler, who began performing on stage at the tender age of 17, is known for his comedy and satirical songwriting. Growing up in a Jewish family gave Adam Sandler plenty of material...

Many people find it difficult to get time off work for Hanukkah. In fact, one-quarter of Americans do not take any time off work at all and more than 43 percent can't get a full week off of work...

Hanukkah is a time for family to draw near and spend time together, whether it be entertaining at home or visiting family members. However, it isn't how much time we spend with family during...

Having word games on hand during the holidays can be a real boredom chaser, especially for children who may have time off from school for Hanukkah. For that matter, even mom and dad might enjoy...

Most people enjoy the chance to tell a joke, even if it's at their own expense. In fact, the funniest joke to tell is often the one that pokes fun at one's own ethnic group or a custom commonly...

Jewish families across the globe look forward to the Hanukkah season as a time to cherish their heritage as well as their family and friends. However, there is often much to do to prepare for the...

Celebrating Hanukkah in Israel is a special event. It's a celebration of restored freedom and victory. Though Jews around the world commemorate Hanukkah on the 25th day of Kislev, in Israel...

New York knows how to celebrate holidays, and Hanukkah is no exception! With one of the largest Jewish populations in the United States living in New York, it's easy to find things ways to...

Hanukkah is usually thought of as a winter holiday. The eight day long Festival of Lights often coincides with Christmas, conjuring up images of snowflakes and puffs of frosty breath in the air....

Many people associate the holiday Hanukkah with gift giving because it's celebrated around the same time of year as Christmas. But Hanukkah is first and foremost a holiday commemorating dedication...

One of the joys of Hanukkah is being able to publicly display the hanukiya, or menorah. With its eight candles, the hanukiya is a symbol of the Hanukkah miracle in which a day's worth of oil...

Each year during Hanukkah millions of menorahs are lit all across the world. The lighting of the candles is a symbolic gesture celebrating the rekindling of the eternal flame in the Jewish Temple...

By nature Hanukkah is a holiday of traditions. Some traditions, like lighting the menorah and reciting the Hanukkah blessings are rooted in religious history. Some traditions, like giving...

The eight days of Hanukkah are a festive time for families. Candle lightings, eating traditional foods like latkes and sufganiyot, exchanging presents and singing songs are all part of the...

Hanukkah is a holiday full of learning opportunities and activities for kids. The Festival of Lights and its traditional objects easily lend itself to craft projects, including making a milk...

Lighting the Hanukkah menorah at sundown is a hallmark tradition of the holiday. For each of the eight nights of Hanukkah an additional candle is added to the menorah until all the candles are...

The first night of Hanukkah is the most important one. After months of anticipating this meaningful, family-centered Jewish holiday, the Festival of Lights at last begins. You can celebrate...

Whereas the first night of Hanukkah has the most religious significance, the second night can be a time when the fun really gets started. Celebrate Hanukkah on the second night with the...

There's momentum to Hanukkah. The first two nights are important celebrations of this warm Jewish holiday, but as the nights progress, the festivities become quieter and more intimate. Celebrate...

The fourth night of Hanukkah is a good time to get the kids involved in the kitchen, since both children and cooking are a big part of the Hanukkah tradition. Previous nights of the holiday are...

Make the fifth night of Hanukkah a chance to reflect on how rich our lives are. The previous nights of this Jewish holiday brought bountiful food, love and family tradition. Celebrate Hanukkah by...

The latkes, chocolate gelt and gifts decreasing in size begin to wear thin by the sixth night of Hanukkah, as the neighbors hoist up their pine trees and sing carols, toting enormous red and green...

The eight nights of Hanukkah are a chance to celebrate the miracle of lights, enjoy tasty treats and honor Jewish traditions. Celebrate Hanukkah on the seventh night by reinforcing the rituals...

Hanukkah typically starts out with a bang and then quietly fades over the course of a week. But certain religious Jews consider the eighth night, also called Zot Hanukkah, the most significant....

Celebrating Hanukkah is very important for many Americans, and introducing Hanukkah to a classroom can be a fun and informational addition to the calendar. Decorating a classroom for Hanukkah...

Hanukkah dreidels can be easily made by using regular household items. Simply find some empty milk cartons and gather some common craft materials to be on your way to celebrating Hanukkah. Include...

I'm Jewish and my husband is Methodist. When we celebrated our first Christmas at his family's house, his brother wished us a "Happy Hannumas." That has been our tradition ever since. If mixed...

“Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay, and when it’s dry and ready, oh dreidel I will play.” If you celebrate Hanukkah, you are very familiar with this song. The dreidel is a big...

Whether it is your first Christmas without someone special who has died or your twentieth, facing the holidays when dealing with grief can be a significant challenge. Read on to learn how to cope.

As Chanukkah is rapidly approaching, the time honored game of dreidel is something that everyone young child should learn.

This Hanukkah game is traditionally played after lighting the menorah. Because it is a simple game it is a great way to include young children and grandparents in the holiday festivities. Read on...

If your family enjoys playing the dreidel game at Hanukkah these "gold coins" can come in handy. Your children will enjoy helping to make the coins and will be excited to see them each year when...

Christianity is rooted in Judaism. Many Christians enjoy celebrating certain Jewish holidays. Here is how you can celebrate Hanukkah as a Christian.

Many people believe that Hanukkah (or Chanukah) and Christmas are celebrations that are roughly equivalent, in part because they are celebrated at roughly the same time and perhaps because...

The dreidel is a tool used in Jewish culture as a game. It's commonly used during Hanukkah, but it can be used by anyone at any time. Meant to be spun on its pointed heavier side, it's now...

Chanukah (or Hanukkah) celebrates the Maccabees' victory over the Syrians and is an important Jewish holiday. It falls on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev on the Jewish calendar. This...

Hanukkah, which literally means "rededication", is also known as "The Festival of Lights." This Jewish holiday traditionally starts on the 25th of Kislev, which is a Hebrew month, and is generally...

In December of every year, Jews observe a festival called Hanukkah. It is a joyous holiday, celebrating the first great victory for religious freedom won by the Jews more than two thousand years ago.

A Menorah is any device set up to hold multiple candles. A Hanukkah Menorah is a nine-branched candelabrum lit on eight consecutive nights during the Jewish celebration commemorating the revolt...