When winter comes around, most people start looking forward to Santa giving them what’s on their wish lists. However, Jewish people are busy preparing for the upcoming 8 nights of fun and celebration, known as Hanukkah. Hanukkah is the most infamous Jewish holiday that comes around every December. Most people think of spinning the dreidel and lighting the candles, but there are actually lots of more fun and meaningful traditions to participate in.
Hanukkah is a holiday to celebrate the victory of the “Maccabees”, a group of Jewish revolting fighters who won back the temple in Jerusalem after foreign takeover. A small amount of oil used in this fight, only supposed to last a day, miraculously lasted 8. This is exactly why it is a big tradition to eat oily foods. These foods include potato latkes, fried chicken and fish, and many other tasty dishes. These dishes are delicious and are one of the best parts of celebrating.
However, the most iconic meal of all is the deserts. “Sufganiyot” is the main desert on Hanukkah. A Sufganiya is significantly better than the regular donut for its unique fillings. It is a donut that is fried on the pan, injected with a filling of jam, chocolate, or custard, and then lathered with powdered sugar. Many families make it in all types of ways, the most popular one being jelly filled. People eat Sufganiyot all over the world, and not only during the holiday season.
What many don’t realize is that Santa isn’t the only one giving presents out during the holidays, you also get presents for Hanukkah. Israeli families have always given 1 big present to their children for Hanukkah, but in recent years, Jewish American families decided to start giving 8 smaller ones, one for each day. Getting a present is a great way to start every day. The presents can range from anything, from money to toys to clothes.
The Amazing thing about Hanukkah traditions is that they are celebrated worldwide because Jewish people exist all over the world. For example, in Morocco, Jewish kids spend the last day of Hanukkah collecting the leftover wicks that people use instead of candles, and start a bonfire with it. The whole community comes together to sing catchy songs, and spend quality time together.
Everyone may tend to overlook what Hanukkah really has to offer, but people that celebrate this amazing and meaningful holiday know that it has a lot more to offer than what meets the eye.
