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What are the Hanukkah Traditions?

Hanukkah | OakvilleNews.Org
Hanukkah | OakvilleNews.Org

If you are invited to celebrate Hanukkah, you are going to have a great deal of delicious food, and good fun with a few prayers.

There are several hundred Oakville Jewish families who celebrate Hannukah. In 2019 it starts at sunset on December 22nd and ends on the evening of December 30th. It is an eight day festival which sometimes can be referred to as a festival of lights because of the lighting of a menorah.

The story of Hanukkah dates back to 165 B.C.E. when a small group of Jews managed to survive a siege. The story goes that the jewish people only had enough oil to survive one day, but by a miracle the oil lasted eight days which allowed them to survive. In-depth information can be found at ReformJudiasm.Org.

A menorah is a nine branch candlelabra. There are many different styles of menorahs but they all have one thing in common they have a place to hold nine candles.

Hanukkah Prayers

The prayers are recited in Hebrew, but in most families the prayers are transliterated so you can participate; however if you are not Jewish there is no expectation that you will recite the prayers. In our family, we also recite the prayers in English

One the first night there is an additional prayer called the Sheheccheyanu, which is the blessing for the new year.

Praised are You,

O Lord our God,

King of the universe,

Who has kept us in life, and has preserved us, and enabled us to reach this season.

Daily Hanukkah prayer said prior to the lighting of the menorah candles

Praised are You,

O Lord our God,

King of the universe.

Who has hallowed us by your laws and commanded us to kindle the light of Hanukkah.

Praised are You,

O Lord our God,

King of the universe,

Who worked miracles for our fathers in days of old.

Once this prayer has been said a primary candle is lit. It is referred to as the helper candle, and it is used to light one candle per day. As an example if you attending the fourth day, the helper candle and four additional candle will be lit. The candles are lit from left to right.

There are several songs that may be sung which include "Rock of Ages - Ma-oz Tsur" and Mi Y'Malel"

Gifts have become common place at Hanukkah. In our home we give a small gift each day to our son. Other families do other things. However, guests are not expected to bring a gift, and if they do decide to bring something it is usually small and for the children.

There is also a game of chance that is played using a dreidel. The dreidel is a spinning top with has four sides each with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each letter represents an action, and participants are traditionally given chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil. The game is played until someone has won all the coins. It tends to be the children who play.

Foods of Hannukah

The main two foods that are served are potato pancake called Latkes with sour cream and apple sauce. There are as recipes for Latkes as there are cooks who make them. The other food available are donuts called Sufganiyot.

They are each cooked in oil, which is why they have come to symbolize the foods of this holiday.

If you would like to learn more about Oakville's Jewish community you can contact Shaarei-Beth El Synagogue.


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