Chanukah, meaning "dedication" in Hebrew, refers to the joyous eight-day celebration during which Jews commemorate the victory of the Macabees over the armies of Syria in 165 B.C.E. and the subsequent liberation and "re-dedication" of the Temple in Jerusalem. The modern home celebration of Chanukah centers around the lighting of the chanukiah, a special menorah for Chanukah; unique foods, latkes and jelly doughnuts; and special songs and games.
8 Days of NFTY Values - Articles exploring each NFTY value and its connection to Chanukah.For teens: the gift of a NFTY regional event! Give
your high school teen the gift of Jewish belonging, of Jewish
involvement, of music and friendship and of memories that will last a
lifetime.
Ner Shel Tzedakah: A Chanukah Project - Devote the 6th night of Chanukah to learning about poverty, donate the value of the night's gifts to organizations that assist the poor.
Family Education in Small Congregations (PDF)- A program for families to learn about the history of the holiday by collaborating on an illustrated time line and studying texts from the Books of the Maccabees and the Talmud.
Sacred Seasons celebration kits are a means of bringing joy to Jewish elders in residential settings.
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A Faithful Spirit A Study Text Based on M’gillat Antiochus By Benjamin Levy A Faithful Spirit is based on a midrashic text, M’gillat Antiochus, which is traditionally read during Chanukah in Italian and Yemenite synagogues. This medieval midrash emphasizes an active, flexible faith that can be adapted to meet the needs of the times and circumstances, and deals with maintaining a Jewish identity while living in a non-Jewish world.
Andi Rosenthal's Christmas tree ornaments are in a box at the back of a closet; she doesn't open them, but can't throw them away either. Although she doesn't expect ever to have a tree again, she needs them. "Like the sad, sweet songs that herald the holiday season, Christmas remains a part of me still," she writes, years after her conversion.
Theories tracing the Chanukah-gelt connection; when and why chocolate coins were first covered in gold foil; and more. Recipes for Homemade Chocolate Truffle "Gelt," Potato Galette with Mushrooms, and Herbed Risotto Pancakes.
NPR program. Robert Siegel talks with Rabbi Daniel Zemel of Temple Micah in Washington, D.C. about Chanukah. They discuss the history of the festival of lights and its multiple transliterations in English.
Medieval Jewish families used an illustrated guide, the Book of Customs, to navigate the Jewish year. Scott-Martin Kosofsky adapted the book for modern use. Hear what he learned about the ancient and evolving world of Jewish practice.
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