The holiday of Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, starts on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar (or around November-December on the Gregorian calendar). One of the few Jewish holidays not mentioned in the Bible, the Festival of Lights has very few religious observances apart from the main tradition of lighting of the ceremonial candelabra known as the Hanukkiah. The Hanukkiah or Hanukkah Menorah is usually placed on a windowsill so that it friendly, shining light can be shared with the community. Every night an additional candle is added to the nine-branched Hanukkiah (one for each night as well as a ‘servant’ candle known as the shammas, which is used to light the others), until the whole Hanukkah Menorah sparkles with dancing candles.

Three blessings are recited with the lighting of the shammas candle: a blessing over the candles, a prayer thanking God for performing miracles, and prayer thanking God sustenance and protection. After the candle lighting ceremony, it’s on to the food and games! Traditional Hannukkah foods are baked or fried in oil (preferably olive oil) to commemorate the miracle of the holy oil in the Temple that burned for eight days. These holiday treats include potato latkes (crispy potato pancakes often served with apples sauce and sour cream) and the jelly-filled doughnuts known as sufganiyot. The dreidel game, played with a four-sided spinning top, is popular Hanukkah time activity. Some say that this game originated during the time of Antiochus' reign, when Jews who were studying the Bible illegally used the dreidel game to cover up their activities whenever a Greek soldier walked by.

Whatever the case may be, the dreidel game is now a mainstay of Hanukkah and a great way to win the chocolate covered coins known as ‘gelt’! Every player places a piece of his or her ‘gelt’ in the middle jackpot and spins the dreidel. Depending on which side the top lands on, the player may end up with nothing, half of the jackpot, all of the jackpot, or if you are very unlucky, you may have to put one of your own coins into the middle. The game is played until one player has won everything, but then redivided, because no one should lose out on chocolate during the holidays!

Who Can Retell? A History of Hanukkah