Janucá

Janucá, also known as Hanukkah, is a Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE. It lasts eight days and begins on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, typically falling in December. The dates in the Gregorian calendar vary each year.

The central ritual of Janucá is the lighting of the menorah, a nine-branched candelabrum. On each night, one additional candle is lit from right to left, using the shamash, a helper candle. The menorah is often placed in a window to publicize the miracle.

Traditional customs include playing dreidel, a four-sided top with Hebrew letters, and eating foods fried in oil, such as latkes and sufganiyot, which recall the miracle of oil. Many families also exchange small gifts or money on some nights.

Liturgy during Janucá includes blessings before lighting the menorah, and in many communities the recitation of Hallel. The festival is commonly associated with songs such as Ma’oz Tzur, and with a general theme of light overcoming darkness. The name Janucá derives from the Hebrew word for dedication, and in English the festival is typically called Hanukkah.