hanukkah

Everyday

A Jewish festival of lights that lasts eight days and nights in the winter, remembering how the Temple in Jerusalem was won back and made holy again, and the oil that burned for eight days. tree →

In the lessons

In lessons about religions and festivals: families light one more candle each night on a menorah (a hanukkiah) with nine branches, play dreidel, eat foods fried in oil like latkes and doughnuts, and sometimes give small gifts. Phrases: «Happy Hanukkah», «light the menorah», «the eight nights of Hanukkah».

Examples

• We lit the menorah on the first night of Hanukkah. tree →
• My friend Sarah celebrates Hanukkah with her family. tree →
• Hanukkah lasts for eight nights. tree →
• We played dreidel and ate potato latkes at Hanukkah. tree →
• On the last night of Hanukkah, all eight candles are lit. tree →
• Happy Hanukkah! tree →
• Our class learned how Hanukkah and Christmas are different. tree →

Note

A name, so written with a capital H: Hanukkah. Several spellings are correct (Chanukah, Hanukah); the «Ch» is said like a rough h in the throat. Its dates change each year because it follows the Jewish calendar. The menorah used has 9 branches: 8 candles plus a helper candle (the shamash).