Janucá

Hanukkah

Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah and widely known as the Festival of Lights, is for many one of the liveliest Jewish holidays. Hanukkah tells the story of the Greek who ruled over the Hebrews and persecuted them to the point that they were not allowed to practice the Torah. The Jews prevailed and turned this situation around in a defeat against the Greeks. The miracle of the oil took place and the rest is history.

The focal point of Hanukkah is the Menorah, the nine branched candle holder which is to be prominently displayed in your window throughout the duration of the holiday. One candle is lit each night to represent the miracle of the oil that lasted eight nights. When looking to buy a Menorah, there are a lot of decisions to make regarding the style, material, design, and price. World of Judaica offers a variety of high quality Menorahs for sale at affordable prices. We currently offer a Menorah sale on stainless steel Menorahs. Make sure to check out our collection of Hanukkah Menorahs for your next Jewish gift.

The holiday of Hanukkah involves giving gifts to your loved ones in order to collectively celebrate the triumph of the Jews. One of the most popular Hanukkah gifts is the dreidel, a spinning top with four faces. Each face has an initial of a Hebrew word that together forms the sentence "a big miracle happened there," in which the Diaspora Jews reference Israel. During Hanukkah time, there is a plethora of dreidels for sale. Dreidels make for a wonderful Hanukkah gift because they can be displayed in a home or played with in a festive game for children. In addition to our dreidel sale, we offer Hanukkah gifts for children such as games and toys.

Hanukkah gifts have become a tradition in almost every Jewish home. Hanukkah is usually a time to be creative and find some kind of holiday-related gift. There are countless gifts that can be given on Hanukkah, such as Magen David picture frames, Menorahs, Chanukah candles, dreidels, and designed match boxes. The growing popularity of these items ensures that we keep the tradition alive and continue to celebrate the miraculous victory of both the defeat over the Greeks and the long lasting oil. To learn more about Chanukah, read up on our Hanukkah learning page.

World of Judaica has an extensive collection of both Menorahs for sale and dreidels for sale for your next Hanukkah holiday. These Hanukkah gifts can be given at any time of the year and are sure to be enjoyed by all. When buying a Menorah, make sure to include Menorah candles and match boxes for the recipient's convenience. Check out our Hanukkah sale and celebrate the miracles of Hanukkah with a stunning Menorah in your window and one of a kind Dreidel displayed in your home.

Hanukkah Guide

Ask any Jewish child what holiday is coming next, and it doesn’t matter what time of year it is, they will almost always say “Hanukkah!” Okay, so it’s wishful thinking, but everyone is happy when Hanukkah is really coming next. Hanukkah is a holiday filled with fun!

A Story of Miracles

In 175 B.C.E., during the time of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the Jews in Israel were ruled by the Syrians, who had adopted Greek culture, customs, and beliefs. A ruthless king named Antiochus IV came to power and, during the next few years, began to persecute the Jews and to prevent them from worshipping in the Temple. Eventually, the Greek-Syrians looted the Temple, burned the Torah, and began conducting pagan sacrifices there.

In 167 B.C.E., a Jewish man named Mattathias, along with his sons, led a group of the people in revolt and a fight for freedom of religion. This group became known as the Maccabees, and within two years, this small group of about 5,000 Jews was successful in defeating a Greek-Syrian army of more than 45,000. This is the first and historic miracle of Hanukkah.

The Lights of Hanukkah

The legendary miracle of Hanukkah came about when the Jews returned to the Temple to purify and rededicate it. As they got ready to light the Temple menorah, they found only one small flask of oil, not nearly enough to last until more olive oil could be purified and prepared. But this small flask of oil, enough for only one day, lasted for eight days and nights. Thus Hanukkah is celebrated with the kindling of lights every night for eight nights.

Families gather each night to light a special menorah (a “Hanukkiah”). Instead of the seven branches seen on other menorahs, a Hanukkiah has nine--one for each night, plus one used as the “servant” (or “Shamash”) to light all the others. Each night, one additional candle is lit, until on the eighth night, the entire Hanukkiah is ablaze with light. Often, each member of the family (including children) has his or her own Menorah. They can be made of many materials, including silver, bronze, copper, or ceramic. Menorahs are often ornate and beautifully decorated--sometimes including Hebrew words and prayers, scenes of Jerusalem, or other Jewish symbols.

Hanukkah Foods

No Hanukkah celebration would be complete without some delicious Hanukkah foods--typically foods fried in lots of oil to commemorate the holiday’s miracles. Potato pancakes (“latkes” in Yiddush) are a traditional favorite. And, in Israel, every bakery is filled with hundreds of “sufganiyot.” They look just like ordinary jelly donuts, but they are too delicious to be described! Foil covered chocolate coins are also a favorite among the children, coming from the tradition of giving and receiving small gifts of money (or “Hanukkah gelt”) during this holiday.

Fun and Games

Aside from eating latkes and sufganiyot, everyone’s favorite Hanukkah pastime is a lively game of dreidel. Small spinning tops inscribed with Hebrew letters, dreidels also commemorate the miracles of Hanukkah. The dreidels kids (and adults!) play with are generally made from plastic or wood, but many people also enjoy collecting decorative dreidels, which can be made from silver, pewter, glass, ceramic, or other materials. The Hebrew letters on dreidels from outside of Israel are “Nun”, “Gimmel”, “Hey”, and “Shin”, standing for the Hebrew words “Nes Gadol Haya Sham”, meaning “a great miracle happened there.” In Israel, the “Shin” is replaced with a “Pey” so the phrase reads “Nes Gadol Haya Po”, or “a great miracle happened here.”