Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated for 8 days, from December 18 to December 26, 2022. It is called the Festival of Lights because of the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem. Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah by lighting a candle on the Menorah every night. 

Hanukkah originated in Syria when Jewish people rebuilt their biggest temple in Jerusalem after the king of Syria and his army burned their temple in Jerusalem and killed a lot of the Jewish people in Jerusalem. After this event and the king and his army left Jerusalem the Jewish people rebuilt their temple and that is why Hanukkah is celebrated.

Hanukkah doesn’t happen on the same dates every year, it changes because the Hebrew calendar changes every year. The Hebrew calendar changes every year because it follows the natural cycles of the moon and sun. 

There are many different traditions to participate in during Hanukkah. Lighting the menorah is one of the biggest and this is how they celebrate the lights part of the Festival of Lights. Jewish children also play with a dreidel, the dreidel is a toy that they spin and you can take pieces from a pot depending on the side you roll. Another tradition is eating fried food during Hanukkah. They eat fried food to celebrate the oil used to keep the menorah lit for 8 days instead of the 1 it was supposed to be lit for.

What are your family’s Hanukkah traditions? Tell us in the comments below…