Vegan Latkes (Potato Pancakes)
Vegan Sweet Potato Latkes
8 Blogs of Hanukkah: Why did Antiochus' army ruin all the oil in the Jerusalem Temple?
8 Blogs for 8 Nights of Hanukkah Blog #1: Oil and the Secret of the Jew
Songs of the Season
When JanetheWriter reminded her friends on Facebook, 'tis the season to be satiated with the songs of the season, I promised her I would tell my favorite White Christmas story.
Mixed-Fruit Cranberry Relish
Eight Nights, Redefined
For some children, finding out that the tooth fairy isn't real is the final straw.
Every Day is Earth Day: Jewish Holidays and Environmental Justice
What happens on each night of Hanukkah?
Two blessings are chanted or recited every night of Hanukkah. The first is a blessing over the candles themselves. The second blessing expresses thanks for the miracle of deliverance. A third blessing—the Shehecheyanu prayer, marking all joyous occasions in Jewish life—is chanted or recited only on the first night.
What is a menorah, or a hanukkiyah?
A menorah is a candelabra, and can be used for Hanukkah if it has nine stems. Another word for a Hanukkah menorah is hanukkiyah. A hanukkiyah has one stem for each of the eight days of Hanukkah, and one for the shamash, or “the helper candle” that is used to light the other candles. Candles are added each night from right to left and they are lit from left to right.
What is a dreidel?
The word dreidel derives from a German word meaning “spinning top,” and is the toy used in a Hanukkah game adapted from an old German gambling game. Hanukkah was one of the few times of the year when rabbis permitted games of chance. The four sides of the top bear four Hebrew letters: nun, gimmel, hey, and shin. Players begin by putting into a central pot or “kitty” a certain number of coins, chocolate money known as gelt, nuts, buttons or other small objects.