sunset, December 4, 2007 - sunset, December 12, 2007
" ‘Blessed are you, O Lord
our God, King of the Universe Who has made us holy through your Word And has
instructed us to kindle the Hanukkah light."
Hanukkah is a Hebrew word meaning dedication. This festival of lights is
held to celebrate the miracle of the oil lamps. Which happened more than
2000 years ago in Jerusalem. Hanukkah also is a celebration of the
determination of a people to defend their right to worship in their own way
without interference.
Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is a celebration of the victory of the
Maccabees and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. It also commemorates
the miracle of the oil that burned for 8 days. Hanukkah is celebrated from
25 Kislev - 2 Tevet, according to the Jewish calendar, which is lunar, so it
falls on different dates each year. This year Hanukkah begins Thursday
evening, December 21, 2000 and ends on Friday evening, December 29. In the
Bible, the day begins at sundown.
Hanukkah reminds us of God's wonderful miracles on our behalf. It reminds us
of God's protection throughout our lives. It reminds us to remain true to
God even when the world around us tries to force us into a different mold.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind." (Romans 12:1-2)
Hanukkah has provided those of Jewish faith with evidence of miracles,
unifying traditions, and an enduring light for the ages. But there is also
one more common question many people wonder. Why do some people write
Chanukah while others say Hanukkah? Rabbi Mark S. Diamond explains that
these are two different English spellings and neither is incorrect. The
Hebrew word for the festival of lights, Hanukkah/Chanukah, consists of five
Hebrew characters opening with the consonant het (chet). This letter is not
the same as the English letter "h" (as in house). It is also not the same as
"ch" (as in child). It is a Hebrew guttural sound that has no precise
equivalent in English. Please explore through the other pages, if you want
to know about Hanukkah more… its history, story, customs, …and what you
never knew about Hanukkah before.
