Displaying 1 - 10 of 34
Habari Gani? How My Family is Melding Kwanzaa and Hanukkah Customs
As we each shared some favorite holiday memories, my partner asked, “So what does each candle of Hanukkah symbolize?” Puzzled, I asked him to explain what he meant. “You know, like for Kwanzaa.”
Celebrating Thanksgivukkah with an Interfaith Family
Thanksgivukkah, the amazing confluence of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving, is all the rage this year.
Five Ways to Approach Family Conversations around Hanukkah and Christmas
How can you create a meaningful, memorable and joyous holiday season in a household where one partner is Jewish, one is Christian, or both were raised with different traditions? How can you create an honest dialogue that allows you both to share your feelings and work together to create your own family traditions?
A Portrait of American Jews: Who We Are and Who We Can Be
It’s not impossible, but it is difficult this year to avoid calling the beginning of Hanukkah by its special, one-time name: Thanksgivukkah!
Hanukkah Reconsidered: A Split in the Jewish Soul
I grew up loving this holiday – until I learned the dark side and felt like a kid discovering that there’s no Santa Claus. It turns out Hanukkah is, in part, a tale of Jew vs. Jew.
A Brief History of Hanukkah
The Hebrew word hanukkah means "dedication," and refers to the rededication of the second temple to the service of God during the successful revolt of the Maccabees against the Seleucid rulers of Syria in the second century BCE.
Reclaiming the Public Square with Hanukkah Lights
According to Rashi, we light Hanukkah candles to “publicize the miracle.” What exactly is the miracle we’re publicizing – and what’s the best way for us to do so today?
Thanksgivukkah Food: The Ultimate Hybrid Holiday
It's already begun: the panicking over cooking for Thanksgiving. If you’ve looked at a Jewish calendar this year or read the myriad articles about the coincidence of millennia, you know why the excitement over Thanksgiving is more extreme this year than others: It coincides with the second night of Hanukkah.
Learn About Hanukkah Traditions with Shalom Sesame
Together with your children, watch these Shalom Sesame videos, then try the activities recommended by Reform Jewish educators.
Learn About the Story of Hanukkah with Shalom Sesame
With your children, watch these Shalom Sesame videos to learn the story of Hanukkah. Then try the discussion ideas and activities recommended by Reform Jewish educators to further extend the lessons learned in the videos.