Hanukkah
Trauma Forum December 7th-14th
Hello, all of you. I am so glad that you are here. Today, I thought we would Honor all of you who celebrate Hanukkah. Some of us are unfamiliar with the celebration of this Jewish holiday, so I would like to post some informative information here and support all of you who Celebrate this festive holiday.
Hanukkah is also called the Feast of Dedication or the Festival of Lights. It is celebrated for eight days. The picture above shows a Menorah: one candle is lit each night, and one holder for the person's candle to be placed in for lighting the other eight candles.
Why It is celebrated: The rededication of the second Temple, which Seleucid King Antiochus had desecrated. The Jews Fought for the right to practice what they believed in and won that right. So, to commemorate this rededication of the Temple.
These eight days are used to celebrate with family and others by doing religious acts such as A Family Meal together, Special foods, and rituals that the families have carried on. It is a time of gift-giving and remembering, much like our Christmas.
This is just barely touching the surface of such a great Holiday.
How do you celebrate Hanukkah?
What are you looking forward to?
How does the Holidays affect you, explain?
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@WorkingitThrough2
Do you celebrate Hanukkah? (or) Christmas?….My family & I celebrate Christmas 🎄
What are you looking forward to?….Time spent with my family.
How do the Holidays affect you, explain?….Although the gift buying and financial expense can be & feel a little stressful, everything else about it is wonderful. (Christmas songs, decorations, movies, food, family, events)etc…
@PoliteOcean
You are so right about the gift buying and the food cooking can be a hand full. I am glad you are able to push through and enjoy the Holiday/ Thank you for being a part of this community.
Happy Holidays🎄😊
@WorkingitThrough2
Hanukkah is my favorite holiday😊 Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate!
Happy Hanukkah, dear Lily! God bless you. If I'm counting right, I think tonight we would light the 5th candle of the menorah :)
I've a question (or 77!) about Hanukkah. I know of the tradition or game of spinning the dreidel, but that's about it. Is it a game? Do only children play it? Is it only played at Hanukkah time? I'm thinking the four sides of each dreidel are the same on every one, is this true? Are they Hebrew letters?
What is something that an adult would do during Hanukkah? Other than lighting the menorah, are there more candles too? Like around the house or synagogue? Are there certain things done each of the evenings/nights like umm, Scriptures read or certain foods?
While I am fairly certain I could look up these answers "somewhere online" or just "Ask Google" :P I am observing my right to work on my human interactions! Okay so I am typing questions and not physically or emotionally connecting with you (yet), but it's a start, right? @kindheartedLily
@ivoryGrapes7752 since it is in the days/evenings of Hanukkah now ... A blessed Hanukkah to you! What is an appropriate greeting or something to say as a farewell or good wishes and hopes for you - especially during the nights of Hanukkah?
Be well, dear friends! 💙💌 Platy <><
@cyanPlatypus6370
I took the initiative to answer these questions, if it's okay.
Is it a game?
-Yes ! Just like any game one would play.
Do only children play it?
-Of course not ! There's no age-limit... yet it's, usually, played by kids. We have candy and chocolate money, as the prize, so... ! (Adults may play it with real money, as well 🤣)
Is it only played at Hanukkah time?
-Yeah... but, it's a customary tradition ; it's not a religious command. One can play whenever they wish to, therefore !
I'm thinking the four sides of each dreidel are the same on every one, is this true?
- Not sure about what this question means.
Are they Hebrew letters?
- Yup ! Shin, Gimmel, Nun, and Hey !
@ivoryGrapes7752 Thank you! This is great. I read it earlier but didn't make time to reply then. Thank you so for the correct information. The internet is fine for finding information, but especially if you've no idea - it can sometimes be hard to know if the information you find is correct!
Thank you for sharing your experiences. Good Sabbath to you (now that Hanuakkah is complete for this year) and may God bless you and your family! <><, Platy
@cyanPlatypus6370
What is something that an adult would do during Hanukkah?
-Anything, really ! Personally, I like to sing a lot of songs and drink a lot of wine... !
Other than lighting the menorah, are there more candles too?
- (The menorah lit is called a hanukkiyah). One can light as many hanukkiyah as they like, and, also, when Shabbat comes, inevitably, those who observe it light the Shabbat candles, aussi.
Like around the house or synagogue?
-Unlike Rosh HaShanah, for example, it's observed, mostly at home.
Are there certain things done each of the evenings/nights like umm, Scriptures read or certain foods?
- Ashkenazi custom says to make as many foods as one can using oil ; as a symbolism. Latkes, blines etc ! Not sure about others... Anything using oil is Hanukkah-approved. Scriptures read, yeah... certain Torah passages and blessings before the lighting of the candles.
@cyanPlatypus6370
What is an appropriate greeting or something to say as a farewell or good wishes and hopes for you - especially during the nights of Hanukkah?
- Best one I can think of is Chag (Hanukkah) Sameach. Which means... have a happy holiday of Hanukkah. That's in Hebrew, which I speak.
In Ladino and Yiddish there are other greetings. In Yiddish one can say Yontif (good day) or A freylekhn Khanuke. In Ladino... je ne sais pas !
@cyanPlatypus6370
Any other questions, feel absolutely free to ask.
@cyanPlatypus6370
Hey cyanPlatypus! Thank you so much! Yes, it was the fifth night on Hannukah when you wrote that post and lit the fifth candle on the menorah😊
I love that you are interested in knowing more about the Hanukah celebration and tradition!
I know you already received some answers, but I also wanted to respond😊
Spinning the dreidel is a game, and it's for everyone. It's only played at Hannukah time, although it can be played any time of year, but I would say most stick to playing dreidel on Hanukkah.
Yes, the four sides of each dreidel have Hebrew letters: Nun, Gimel, Hay, and Shin. It stands for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, which means 'a great miracle happened there' to remember the miracle of Hannukah and how the oil lasted for eight days when there was only one day's worth left.
Hanukkah is a really fun holiday. One of my favorites!. When lighting the menorah, we say Hebrew prayers and sing some songs. We also eat certain traditional Hannukah foods, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts).
I hope you're having a wonderful week! 💜
Hanukkah Sameach.
Hanukkah is a minor holiday, though, and I would like to see more 7cups activity regarding major holidays.
Thanks and happy holidays.
@ivoryGrapes7752
Thanks, Ivory
I am not sure if you have been to the many Various forums as of yet; there usually are always a lot of posts for the Major holidays. Well depends on your country. Which Holidays are you referring to?
I hope that your holidays are full of Blessings and good cheer😊❤️
Thank you for being a part of the 7cups family.
@WorkingitThrough2
Your post was very kind and appreciated.
However, I am sad to see Hanukkah, out of all the Jewish holidays, be so well-known. Because I am sure it's due to its correlation with Christmas-time.
The most important Jewish holiday is Yom Kippur, yet, of course, we don't say Happy Yom Kippur.
Second most, I'd say Rosh HaShana.
@ivoryGrapes7752 Hannukah Samech !
I think you're right, about the major holidays thing.
anyways, I wish you all the best 🤗 and I hope you have a nice holiday(;
@CarolineGrey
Thank you for your reply. Have a happy holiday😊
@ivoryGrapes7752 @CarolineGrey
Thank you for the information. I'll ask the forum ambassador if they could put Yom Kippur and Rosh HaShana on the holiday list.
@audienta
Yom Kippur is a very sacred holiday, so I would suggest against it !
Rosh HaShana, for sure ! <3
@ivoryGrapes7752 @CarolineGrey
I wanted to let you know that I was able to add Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to the Forum Leaders Holidays Calendar.
@ivoryGrapes7752
I've seen your message regarding Yom Kippur now. As I have two contradictory wishes now, I wanted to ask you why you would advise against it?
@ivoryGrapes7752 @audienta
Yom Kippur is not a happy holiday, it's a day of 25hr fasting and mourning.
We can't wish someone else a... happy mourning day.
However, what's customary to say is "have an easy fast". Not all people fast though, for various reasons. I am from Israel, and it's the most sacred day of the year ; so is for observant Jews around the globe. In Israel, for example, we have 0 cars or aeroplanes flying over.
It's best to keep it community-centred.
@ivoryGrapes7752
I have understood that it's not a happy holiday. However, I feel it would still be good to do informative posts/check-ins as we do for the other holidays. This would allow people from other religions to learn about it.
@ivoryGrapes7752
Would informative posts be okay in your opinion?
@WorkingitThrough2
Do you celebrate Hanukkah? (or) Christmas?
-Both
What are you looking forward to?
-Family and fun..
How does the Holidays affect you, explain?
- I like the cozy feeling, and the atmosphere..
@PetiteSouris
Thank you for responding to the post. I send you good wishes for both Holidays and many blessings❤️
@PetiteSouris
Chag sameach !
@WorkingitThrough2
Do you celebrate Hanukkah? (or) Christmas?
We celebrate both holidays.
What are you looking forward to?
Eating latkes with apfelsauce, playing dreidel with my daughter, giving lots of presents, eating at the table all together, lighting the candles each night and listening to Flory Jagoda :)
How does the Holidays affect you, explain?
Hanukkah does not have an effect on me, as it is not a major holiday, but it makes me feel home-y and cozy. Same with Christmas.
Thank you for sharing this lovely to learn about this :)- have a happy Hanukkah to those celebrating
@GoldenRuleJG
Thank you for supporting those who celebrate this holiday and Thanks for responding.
Happy holidays to you and yours>🎄❤️
❤️💙same to you
@WorkingitThrough2
How do you celebrate Hanukkah?
with my family and friends ^^
What are you looking forward to?
to spend the time with my loved ones and to have a cozy and happy time with them.
How does the Holidays affect you, explain?
for me its the spirut if being around the people that I love and to have an awesome pawesome time together ^^
❤️ I don't celebrate Hanukkah. However, to celebrate it, I'd love to participate in a family meal and gift-giving! These holidays, I'm looking forward to experiencing joy, having meaningful time with my family, and feeling calm. The holidays bring the stress of preparing for them and wanting things to go as planned, but they also bring happiness, a time to share love and beautiful memories ❤️
@Daf8
I agree with you, and the holidays can produce a lot of stress or anxiety, Some stress or anxiety can be good. Enjoy four family and a happy Holiday.🎄
❤️ Thank you, @WorkingitThrough2! Hopefully, we'll get the good stress. I hope you enjoy the holidays! Thank you for being you ❤️
@audienta Except this is very much another language celebration!!! Those who celebrate Hanukkah are usually of the Jewish faith. They know and study the Hebrew language. It seems to me, as long as the translations into English are provided, the other language could be used.
@cyanPlatypus6370
Yes, single phrases like Chag (Hanukkah) Sameach with a translation - have a happy holiday of Hanukkah - is okay. But there were a bunch of posts written in another language without a translation which is not allowed. That's why I wrote this reminder.
Hello @cyanPlatypus6370 thank you for the tag.
We understand the struggle when people use different languages to communicate, it is certainly quite excluding and not appreciable, which is why there's community guidelines mentioning the same, and highlighting the use of English language in forums and chatrooms.
Users are free to chat in a language they are more comfortable with in the personal chat with a fellow user who is willing to communicate in the same language.
Members can certainly talk to other members in the group chatrooms, or if preferred, in a forum thread. We see many threads like "so and so usernames' talking space", it's nice to see members connecting with and supporting each other on here.
Please forward any suggestions or feedback for the community, tech-related or otherwise using this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeKdc41mqdmvjANHvb-pKr2ec-snE8u9v1YT6tmHmLtNe8owQ/viewform
We are thankful for your compassionate presence here.❤