Chag chanuka sameach! For the majority of our readers who don't speak Hebrew, that means Happy Hanukkah!
The Jewish festival of lights officially started on Sunday, which makes it the perfect theme for our holiday blog post. Let's talk about it!
Hanukkah, or Channukah as it's sometimes known, celebrates a special event in Judaism. After a large victory the Jewish people wanted to rededicate a temple and only had enough oil to light the temple for one night... but against all odds, the oil lasted eight nights long and burned bright. This was seen as a miracle, and from it the Festival of Lights known as Hanukkah was born.
Because of this origin, candles and menorah are a large part of Hanukkah celebrations. If you don't know what a menorah is, don't worry! We'll explain.
A menorah is a candle-holder, often used in festivals or other Jewish traditions. Menorah used during Hanukkah are called Hanukkiyah and have nine candles-- eight of which are lit each day of the holiday. The last candle is called a shamash and sits in the center of the menorah slightly higher than the rest. Also known as a "helper candle", it is used to light the other candles.
Fried foods are also a staple during Hanukkah celebrations to symbolize the oil in it's origin story. Fried potato pancakes (Latke) and jelly doughnuts (Sufganiyot) are among the many delicious Hanukkah foods. Another object associated with Hanukkah are dreidels, spinning tops used to play games by Jewish children. Wrapped chocolate coins are a common prize for winning a game of dreidel during the holiday.
If you'd like to learn more about Hanukkah, consider reading one of these YA books during the holiday season!
How to Excavate A Heart by Jake Maia Arlow
A sapphic holiday rom-com with Jewish characters. Although Christmas is mentioned, Jewish traditions are at the core of this cute read!
Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldredge
Two Jewish teens have very different ideas of how to spend Hanukkah. Can they learn to meet in the middle? Of course! And maybe they can learn they have more in common than they thought along the way...
Eight Nights of Flirting by Hannah Reynolds
Shira has only one goal this Hanukkah: get a boyfriend! Cue tons of flirting, family bonding, and an adorable boy-next-door romance.
The Forbidden Book by Sacha Lamb
Try this LGBTQ+ historical fiction if you don't want a holiday rom-com. The Forbidden Book is a tale of mistaken identity, Jewish mysticism, and rich characters.
We hope we've given you something to think about this holiday season! Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or none of the above, we want to wish you a happy holiday from TADL Teen Services!