Happy Hanukkah

csp

Let's be happy, let us cheer,
Hanukkah again is here.
All the lights are shining bright,
Isn't it a lovely sight?

You know these lights remind us
Of the time long, long ago,
When God caused one,
tiny light,
for eight long days to shine so bright.


Malvine P. Hoenig









Tonight is the night, the night I like.
The gleaming lights have just been lit; A fun night for me shall now begin.
A night of spinning tops, I hope my top will never stop.
I hear the sizzling of the latkes.
I smell the fabulous aroma.
I run to the kitchen as my mouth waters.
I feel as if I could eat forever.
Jelly doughnuts in stacks and latkes crackling on the stove.
I trample to the living room with much joy.
I open up a present and voilà there's a toy.
Now I'm all tired out and ready for bed.
I fall asleep and start dreaming of the next night, the second night of
Hanukkah, the festival of lights.



by Simcha Ward



These lights we kindle upon the miracles, the wonders, the salvations, and the battles which you performed for our forefathers in those days at this season through Your holy priests. During all eight days of Chanukah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make ordinary use of them, but to look at them in order to express thanks and praise to Your great Name for Your miracles, Your wonders and Your salvations.








Happy Hanukkah

beachcottage

xo
Patti

susanmcm

I know very little about Hanukah so I looked this up. I'd be interested to hear from sisters who celebrate this holiday and what it consists of.

this is from wikepedia:
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights or Festival of Rededication, is an eight-day Jewish holiday that starts on the 25th day of Kislev, which may be in December, late November, or, while very rare in occasion, early January (as was the case for the Hanukkah of 2005–2006). The festival is observed in Jewish homes by the kindling of lights on each of the festival's eight nights, one on the first night, two on the second, and so on.

Commemoration
The holiday was called Hanukkah meaning "dedication" because it marks the re-dedication of the Temple after its desecration under Antiochus IV. Spiritually, Hanukkah commemorates the Miracle of the Oil. According to the Talmud, at the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days - which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate new oil.

However, non-Talmudic sources include no reference to the eight days of oil that has come to be a popular understanding and modern practice of Hanukkah. The Hebrew deuterocanonical books of 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees record different reasons as the origin of the eight days of Hanukkah. 1 Maccabees reads that, "For eight days they celebrated the rededication of the altar. Then Judah and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel decreed that the days of the rededication...should be observed...every year...for eight days. (1 Mac.4:56-59)"

73gr

Happy Hanukah to all sisters and members of their families! I'm blessed to have vacation from work in this special days, and i'm interested to assist on a celebration on the synagogue here in Athens. I have read so much about this special season, and my home is honoured to have a minorah although i'm catholic. Happy Hanukah and thank you so much for your prayers!