Happy Hanukkah

‘During the festival of light; bring light to the world.’ ❥

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday which celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the larger Syrian army. The Hebrew word Hanukkah means rededication. The Hanukkah menorah is a candle holder, an important Hanukkah symbol. It has nine candles.

One branch is typically placed above or below the others and its candle is used to light the other eight candles. This unique candle is called the ‘shames’, or ‘attendant.’ Each night, one additional candle is lit by the shamash until all eight candles are lit together on the final night of the festival. Other Hanukkah festivities include playing the game of dreidel and eating oil-based foods, such as latkes, or potato pancakes, and ‘sufganiyot,’ round jelly donuts.