This year, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah will begin on December 25, 2024, and will last until January 2, 2025. This special eight-day holiday commemorates the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the rededication of the Second Temple during the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BC, the Ukrainian News agency reports.
Hanukkah, also known as the holiday of light and miracles, is celebrated by lighting candles on a special candlestick, the hanukkiah (the Hanukkah menorah). This ritual has a deep symbolic meaning: one of the branches of the candlestick (shamash) is used to light the other eight candles until they all light up together on the last night of the holiday.
According to legend, the holiday dates back to 164 BC, when, after a three-year struggle, the Jews were able to free their territory from the invading Greeks who were trying to impose their beliefs on them. When the rebels climbed the Temple Mount to rebuild the destroyed temple, they found only one jar of oil for the menorah. Although the oil was supposed to last only one day, a miracle happened - the menorah burned for eight days.
Traditional dishes for Hanukkah are foods fried or baked in oil, symbolizing the miracle of the jar of oil. Potato pancakes (latkes) and doughnuts (sufganiyot) are especially popular. In Israel, various variations of sufganiyot with fillings have gained popularity in recent years - from traditional strawberry jam to chocolate, vanilla cream and caramel.
On the festive table you can also find dairy dishes, reminiscent of the heroic deed of the woman Judith during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews. In different Jewish communities of the world there are their own unique culinary traditions of celebrating Hanukkah - from cheese pancakes among Italian Jews to pumpkin dishes among Syrians.
This holiday also has a special cultural meaning not only for religious, but also for secular Jews, especially in North America and other countries, where it often coincides with the Christmas period. During Hanukkah, it is customary to arrange festive feasts with relatives and loved ones, give gifts to children and help those in need.
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