Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah, is the Jewish Festival of Lights. This year it lasts from sundown on Sunday, December 14 to nightfall on Monday, December 22. The holiday always begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev and lasts eight days.
The Story of Hanukkah
The name Hanukkah comes from a Hebrew word meaning "to dedicate," and the holiday commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BCE.
To celebrate this event, a menorah (a nine-branched candelabrum) was lit. The menorah's supply of oil was expected to last only one day — yet, miraculously, the flames kept alive for eight days. Thus, Hanukkah is celebrated by lighting a menorah each evening over eight days: on each subsequent evening, one more candle is lit. It's also customary during Hanukkah to eat foods like latkes and doughnuts, to play games with a dreidel (a four-sided top), and to give and receive gifts.
Hanukkah in San Jose
Local Hanukkah events this year include:
- Menorahs & Miracles at Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose on Sunday, December 7 from 9:30AM to 4:30PM (explore Discover & Go for free tickets to local attractions like the Children's Discovery Museum!)
- Hanukkah Celebration at Santana Row (Park Valencia) on Sunday, December 14 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM
- Chanukah Rock Shabbat Service at Temple Emanu-El on Friday, December 19 from 7:00 to 8:00 PM
SJPL Resources
San José Public Library has lots of books, movies, and music to help make Hanukkah even more festive!
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