Hanukkah begins on Christmas Day this year for 1st time in nearly 20 years
Guess what?
For the first time in nearly 20 years, Christmas and Hanukkah align with Judaism’s eight-day Festival of Lights starting at sundown on Wednesday, Dec. 25. Hanukkah ends Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025.
As many may know, it is observed over the span of eight days to mark the miracle and victory of the Maccabees, according to Chabad.org.
According to Hebcal, a website that tracks Jewish holidays and the Hebrew calendar, the last time the first night of Hanukkah fell on Christmas Day was in 2005. The next Hanukkah and Christmas overlap will happen in 2035 and then not until 2054.
What is Hanukkah?
FILE - Candles are lit on the Menorah for the fourth night of Hanukkah on Dec. 21, 2022 in North Haledon, New Jersey. (Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images)
Hanukkah is an 8-day celebration of the miracle that took place at the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, according to Western University.
Around 139 B.C., Israel, which was known as Judea at the time, was ruled by Syria, according to History.com.
Syrian soldiers descended upon Jerusalem and the city’s Holy Temple and defiled the oil used to light the temple menorah.
After reclaiming the temple, Judah Maccabee led his followers to cleanse the Holy Temple and rebuild it.
When Maccabee and the other Jewish people took part in the rededication of the temple, they witnessed what they believed was a miracle, according to Chabad.org.
During the rededication, Maccabee and the Jews lit a single candle with enough untainted olive oil to last one day, but the candle continued flickering for eight nights.
This miracle inspired the holiday traditions that are seen in America and around the world today.
How is Hanukkah celebrated in the states?
On each night of Hanukkah, Jewish people will typically light a candle on a menorah. These candle lightings are usually done at home, in a doorway or near a window after a brief blessing is recited.
In addition to menorah lightings, giving to charity and social works are also part of the celebration for many, reflecting the belief that the Jewish people are called by God to help make the world better for all.
During Hanukkah, some people play with dreidels, which are tops that have four Hebrew letters etched upon them which include nun, gimmel, hay and shin, according to Chabad.org.
It’s also customary to commemorate Hanukkah by eating oily foods such as doughnuts, potato pancakes (latkes) and eating dairy products such as cheese.
The Source: This article contains reporting from the Associated Press, Hebcal, and Live NOW.