The Significance of Hanukkah to Me.

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that lasts eight days and celebrates freedom from oppression. It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem after it was retaken by the Maccabees from the Greeks. Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights to represent the menorah in the temple lit with oil that was meant to last one day and miraculously lasted eight. Most people are familiar with the typical eight candles associated with this holiday termed the “celebration of lights,” however, it is unlikely that many people have the knowledge of how people actually celebrate. Each family celebrates the miracle of Hanukkah differently but this is what Hanukkah means to me. 

Learning about the meaning of the menorah and the significance of the candles is the part of Hanukkah that sticks with me the most. From a young age, my mom helped teach this to my siblings and I. A hanukkiah, which is what the menorah for Hanukkah is called, consists of eight candles arranged with a ninth significantly taller candle. This taller candle is called the shamash and it is used to light all of the other candles on the Hanukkiah. While these candles are placed right to left, they are lit from left to right. Each candle is lit with the shamash, which we call the helper candle. The message of this that I was taught is that little things can do big things. I remember this not only during the holiday each year but throughout my everyday life as well. 

Another aspect of Hanukkah that is significant to me besides the meaning of the shamash is the actual lighting of the hanukkiah and the family traditions surrounding it. My family gets together each night and gathers around to light the lights through both prayer and song. We read stories as well from a variety of different children’s books we’ve collected over the years. I have a piano book filled with many different Hanukkah songs so after we light the candles we will sometimes gather around the piano and sing while I play. Some years we also dip our own candles with different colors of wax to use on the hanukkiah which adds a personal touch to it. Latkes, or potato pancakes, are a traditional Hanukkah food so my family also makes latkes every year. These are just some of the traditions that my family has that help make the holiday so special. The first night of Hanukkah this year is December 7th and will end at nightfall on December 15th. Everyone who celebrates Hanukkah does so differently but this is what Hanukkah means to me.