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The History of Hanukkah
Prepared by Rabbi Mark S. Diamond
Friday, December 6, 1996 to Friday, December 13, 1996
Tuesday, December 23, 1997 to Wednesday, December 31, 1997
Monday, December 14, 1998 to Monday, December 21, 1998
Saturday, December 4, 1999 to Saturday, December 11, 1999
Friday, December 22, 2000 to Friday, December 29, 2000.
(begins at sundown the previous day) 
The Hebrew word Hanukkah means "dedication." The roots of this name, and the
Hanukkah holiday, come from the second century B.C.E. (Before the Common Era). Chafing
under foreign domination, a band of Jews led by Mattathias took to the hills of Judea in
open revolt against the Seleucid regime of Antiochus IV. Mattathias' son Judah took
charge of the rebellion after his father's death. He was given the nickname "the
Maccabee" ("the hammer"). Antiochus sent thousands of well-trained and
well-armed troops to the land of Israel to crush the rebellion. The Maccabees responded
with a brilliant campaign of guerilla warfare, and succeeded in driving the foreigners
from their land.
Jewish fighters entered Jerusalem in December, 164 B.C.E. They found the sacred Temple
in shambles, defiled and desecrated by foreign soldiers. They cleansed the Temple and
re-dedicated it on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev. They observed a feast of
dedication for eight days in honor of their historic victory.
The contemporary observance of Hanukkah features the lighting of a hanukkiyah, a
special Hanukkah menorah with eight branches and a ninth holder for the shamash, or helper
candle. Popular legend connects this ritual with the tale of the cruse of pure oil that
miraculously burned for eight days rather than one.
On the first night of Hanukkah, two candles are placed in the menorah. One serves as
the shamash to be used for lighting the other candle. On each successive night, another
candle is added to the menorah. By the time we reach the last night of Hanukkah, eight
candles are glowing brightly in celebration of this beautiful festival.
Other familiar Hanukkah customs include spinning the draydal (a special top with Hebrew
letters on the sides), eating potato latkes (pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts) and
giving gifts of gelt (coins) to children.
In the broad sweep of Jewish tradition, Hanukkah is considered a minor holiday. It is
not a yom tov, a holy day, akin to Rosh Hashanah or Passover. Hanukkah, like Purim, is a
post-Biblical holiday, a happy, fun-filled celebration for the young and the
young-at-heart.
In 1997, Hanukkah begins on Monday evening, December 22, and continues through
Wednesday, December 31. The traditional greeting Jews extend to one another during this
holiday is hag orim same'ah. Happy Feast of Lights! Happy Hanukkah!
A Beginner's Guide to Transliteration
Hanukkah? Chanukah? Confused about different English spellings of Hebrew words? While
scholars have their own preferences in transliteration, there is no one correct and
authoritative way to render Hebrew words in English characters. Take, for instance, the
Hebrew word for the festival of lights: Hanukkah/Chanukah. It consists of five Hebrew
characters opening with the consonant het (chet). This letter is not the equivalent of the
English letter "h" (as in house). Nor is it the equivalent of the combination
"ch" (as in child). It's a Hebrew guttural sound that has no precise equivalent
in English.
In some transliterations, this sound is rendered by the consonant "h" with a
dot or line underneath the letter. Popular usage favors "h" or "ch."
This helps us to understand the variant spellings of the festival of lights and so many
other Hebrew words.
Hanukkah? Chanukah? Perhaps even Khanooka? Variety is the spice of life.
Mark S. Diamond is the rabbi of Temple Beth Abraham, a Conservative
Jewish congregation in Oakland, California. He is a past president of the East Bay Council
of Rabbis and an ardent computer enthusiast. Rabbi Diamond may be reached by e-mail at RebMark@aol.com.
 visitors since May 26, 1998.
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