Hanukkah is a time for family, friends, and the community to come together to celebrate and share in the joy of the holiday. Wishing you a happy and memorable Hanukkah! Festival of lights commemorating the recapture and rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. *Begins at sundown December 7th. 

The eight-day Jewish celebration known as Hanukkah commemorates the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt. This group of Jews are known as the Maccabees. The name was formed from the first letters of a Hebrew phrase, “Mi Kamocha Ba’eilim Hashem,” which translates to “Who is like You, God.”

Each night as the sun sets, one branch of the Hanukkah menorah is lit by the shamash, making up the ninth and tallest branch on the menorah. Traditionally, candles are lit from right to left, although there is no one correct order in which to place and light the candles.

Prayers accompany each night’s candle lighting. Once the menorah is lit, it is often placed in a door or window that faces the street to share the light with neighbors. Traditional songs follow throughout the evening. Food plays an important part in Hanukkah, which includes those fried in oil to commemorate the miracle, especially ‘latkes’ and ‘sufganiyot.’

The five traditional activities during Hanukkah: Lighting the Menorah, playing the dreidel, eating gelt, baking delicious food, and enjoying the fun of sending and receiving Hanukkah gifts.

Upcoming Events: 

• Chabad on campus at Wash U
• Chanukah: Festival of Lights at the Missouri Botanical Gardens on December 10th
• Chanukah at the Arch on December 7th

Hanukkah foods and fun:
Traditional Hanukkah foods include deep-fried jelly donuts called sufganiyot and potato pancakes called latkes. Both dishes are fried and represent the long-lasting lamp oil.