Introduction and Historical Background
As the year comes to a close, we look back on one of the major holidays celebrated this December; Hanukkah. Hanukkah, traditionally spelled as Chanukah, is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication or reclamation of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. The holiday is celebrated around the world, but its rich history dates back thousands of years. In 175 B.C., the Greek King Antiochus (whose kingdom included Judea, or modern-day Israel), made it illegal for the natives of the land to practice their religion: Judaism. Instead, he and his leaders desired for the Jewish people to worship Greek Gods.
The Jewish people of Judea refused to give up their religion and conform to what was being forced onto them. Upon their refusal, Antiochus ordered his troops to destroy the Temple of Jerusalem, a sacred place of worship for the Jewish people. In an attempt to not only destroy the temple but to rid it of any Judaism — the king replaced the Jewish symbols of the temple with an altar dedicated to a Greek God. In response to this, the Jews rebelled against King Antiochus. Historians state that the Jews battled against the Greek Empire for about three years to become an independent region and practice their religion. By around 164 B.C. , the Jewish people defeated King Antiochus and his troops. When the Jews returned to their destroyed temple, they were said to have found only one jar of oil, which was just enough to light the temple’s candles for just one day. However, according to the Talmud –one of the holy texts in Judaism– the oil miraculously stayed lit for eight days.
How Hanukkah is Celebrated Today
Hanukkah commences on the 25th day of Kislev, which is the 9th month of the Hebrew calendar. Due to the fact that the Hebrew calendar follows the lunar cycle, Hanukkah begins on a different date each year. Typically, it takes place in late november to mid-December. This year, Hanukkah took place starting the night of December 7th and ending on December 15th. To celebrate the miracle of the oil burning a candle for eight nights, those who celebrate light the menorah for the same duration. Although the holiday is only celebrated for eight nights, the menorah holds nine candles; within these nine candles, eight are for the eight nights of Hanukkah, while the ninth candle is the shamash: what is used to light the other eight candles. During the act of lighting the Menorah, Jews recite prayers, songs, and give gifts. Jews also eat some traditional foods during Hanukkah. Some of these foods include latkes (fried potato pancakes), brisket (a type of beef), challah (Ashkenazi Jewish bread), matzo ball soup, among others.
How our Local Community Celebrated This Year
Hanukkah is celebrated throughout our local community as well. The Flemington Jewish Community Center (JCC) held a Hanukkah dinner on December 13, where Flemington’s Jewish community celebrated the holiday by eating brisket, fried chicken, latkes, and salad. They also held a Hanukkah cook-off on December 10 and a menorah lighting every night of Hanukkah. The Chabad of Hunterdon County, based in Lebanon, New Jersey, held a public lighting of the ‘grand Menorah’ in downtown Clinton. The Chabad of Hunterdon County also held a menorah lighting on the corner of Union and Bridge streets in Lambertville.
With the rise in anti semitic hate crimes and rhetoric over the past few months, it’s more important to the Jewish community than ever to celebrate a holiday that carries the history of Jews resisting antisemitism. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported nearly a 400% increase in anti semitic incidents in the past several months. Given these circumstances, it’s more important than ever for Hunterdon Central students and the school community to promote empathy, understanding, and compassion for each other, regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity. Our school community is composed of a variety of students from so many different backgrounds and it’s crucial that we hear each others’ concerns, perspectives, and experiences. Together, we can bridge the gap between hate and love, between ignorance and understanding.
Sources
“ADL Records Dramatic Increase in U.S. Antisemitic Incidents Following Oct. 7 Hamas Massacre | ADL.” Www.adl.org, American Defense League, 24 Oct. 2023, www.adl.org/resources/press-release/adl-records-dramatic-increase-us-antisemitic-incidents-following-oct-7, Accessed 18 Dec. 2023.
Chabad of Hunterdon County. “Facebook.” Www.facebook.com, 16 Dec. 2023, www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=ChabadHunterdon&set=a.753145886846907, Accessed 18 Dec. 2023.
Goertzel, L. (2023, October 26). Hanukkah. Celebrations. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/celebrations/article/hanukkah, Accessed 18 Dec. 2023
Flemington Jewish Community Center. “FJCC FLASH.” https://flemingtonjcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/December-2023-Newsletter.pdf, Accessed 18 Dec. 2023
O’Brian, Linda . “Celebrate Hanukkah! Here’s a Full List of Menorah Lightings, Events in New Jersey.” Mosaic, 6 Dec. 2023, https://mosaic.nj.com/community/2023/12/celebrate-hanukkah-heres-a-full-list-of-menorah-lightings-events-in-new-jersey.html, Accessed 18 Dec. 2023.
