What is the correct way to spell Chanukah?

For many English speakers, the festival is also known for confusion over the spelling of its name: Is it Hanukkah or Chanukah ? The answer is that both are considered correct , though Hanukkah is the most widely used spelling , while Chanukah is more traditional. In addition, more than 20 other variations are recorded.

What does the word Chanukah mean?

dedication

Should I say Happy Hanukkah?

What is the proper greeting for Hanukkah ? To wish someone a Happy Hanukkah , say “ Hanukkah Sameach!” ( Happy Hanukkah ) or simply “Chag Sameach!” ( Happy Holiday). Or if you want to show off your Hebrew skills, say “Chag Urim Sameach!” (urim means “lights”).

What is the first night of Hanukkah called?

Chanukah

Why is Hanukkah spelled 2 different ways?

It should come as no surprise that the word Hanukkah comes from the Hebrew language, and that Hebrew and English are written in different alphabets. As a result, Hebrew words must be transliterated (converted from one alphabet into another ) if they are to be readable in English.

What is the difference between Hanukkah and Kwanzaa?

Hanukkah is steeped in the Jewish religion, whereas Kwanzaa does not have a religious base and is spiritual in nature.

What does the menorah represent?

The seven lamps allude to the branches of human knowledge, represented by the six lamps inclined inwards towards, and symbolically guided by, the light of God represented by the central lamp. The menorah also symbolizes the creation in seven days, with the center light representing the Sabbath.

What is Hanukkah for kids?

Hanukkah (also Chanukah) is the Jewish Festival of Lights. The word Hanukkah means rededication. Every year, the celebration honors the hard-fought victory of those trying to keep their faith despite a powerful enemy. It is an eight-day holiday that will be celebrated this year starting at sundown on December 2nd.

What is the Hanukkah story?

Hanukkah commemorates a historical event that took place in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE, when the Seleucid Greek empire was the ruling power. In 168 BCE, the king Antiochus IV Epiphanes outlawed Jewish practice and defiled the Jewish Temple in the city by installing an altar to Zeus Olympios and sacrificing pigs.

What do the 8 days of Hanukkah stand for?

The eight -day Jewish celebration known as Hanukkah or Chanukah commemorates the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where according to legend Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt.

What do you take to a Hanukkah party?

Traditional foods include potato latkes, applesauce and brisket. Spinning the dreidel (a four-sided top) for “ Hanukkah gelt” (gold-wrapped chocolate coins) is another part of the celebration. Your host might appreciate gifts of chocolate, gourmet applesauce, candles, books or board games.

Why do we give gifts on Hanukkah?

“[Parents] saw that [ giving gifts ] was a way of creating joy around the time of Hanukkah ,” Creditor says. “I think it wasn’t to be like Christmas, it was so that Jewish children would have joy on Hanukkah .

What are 3 interesting facts about Hanukkah?

12 Facts About Hanukkah You Probably Didn’t Know What is Hanukkah ? Hanukkah lasts for eight nights, to commemorate how long the holy light burned. A Menorah is lit each night of the holiday. Gifts were not always given for Hanukkah . Hanukkah dishes are fried for a reason.

Why are there 9 candles on the menorah?

The defining characteristic of a Hanukkah menorah is eight lights in a row, with a ninth lamp off to the side or above, separated from the other eight. The ninth lamp is called a shamash, a “servator,” and it symbolically differentiates the eight holy flames from other, mundane light sources.

How do you celebrate the first night of Hanukkah?

On the first night of Hanukkah one light (candle or oil) is lit on the right side of the menorah, on the following night a second light is placed to the left of the first but it is lit first , and so on, proceeding from placing candles right to left but lighting them from left to right over the eight nights .