Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Hanukkah is Here

Tonight at sunset, Hanukkah begins. Besides the fact that it can be spelled several different ways, what do you really know about Hanukkah? Is it the Jewish version of Christmas? Probably not! Is it eight nights of presents like Adam Sandler sings about? Or is it something more?



So, how much do you know about Hanukkah? This website is very helpful and filled with information about Hanukkah. Read it and you might learn some things about Hanukkah. Your assignment is to research the site, learn two facts about Hanukkah and present them in your reply. Your reply needs to be a paragraph with at least three sentences in it.

38 comments:

Becca said...

Reading the website, I learned that the main ingredient in the food for Hanukkah is oil. They do this as a tribute to the miracle of purified oil. I also learned that Jewish people believe gambling is a sin, but they play a game very similar. Hanukkah is very important to Jewish people, just like Christmas is for Christians. The lighting of the Menorah is the main Hanukkah tradition. I learned a lot from the website and I’m glad I know a little bit more about Hanukkah!

Unknown said...

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday for the Jews just like Christmas is for us. Instead of it being one day however it last for a whole week. They light 12 candles and each night they blow out one candle. During those 12 days they exchange gifts do good needs for people and play games. To me it sounds pretty fun; I like the fact of having Christmas for a whole week.

Matthew Saunders said...

Hanukkah is known as the festival of lights, which sounds intresting. I did not know that you lit the candles from left to right. Appearently the date for Hanukkah changes sometimes depending on year. The lighting of the Menorah is the main event in the festival of light. I was very surprised by how this all works, maybe because I never looked into it until now.

Anonymous said...

I was able to learn so much about Hanukkah through this article that I did not know. Such as, Hanukkah is the annual Jewish Festival of Lights, which is observed on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Jewish calendar. It is an eight day festival of religious observance by the Jews, during which they light the eight candles of the candelabrum in order from right to left. The lighting of the Menorah is the main event of the Hanukkah Festival. Also, the candles on the candelabrum are not to be blown out until the end of the festival. This Festival is of as much importance to the Jews, as the Christmas Holiday is to the Christians. Going along with this during this Festival gifts are exchanged, probably adapted from the Christian tradition of giving gift on the Christmas Holiday.

~Maddie Atkinson

Anonymous said...

Hanukkah is a very important tradition to Jews, just like Christmas is important to Christians. As per the western calendar the date of Hanukkah varies each year. The Hanukkah candles are placed on a special candelabrum from right to left but are lit from left to right. The lighting of the candles is a very important tradition. The word Hanukkah is spelled many different ways but most spell it either Chanukkah or Hanukkah.
Justin Hampton

kaylan said...

I never knew anything about Hanukkah until now, only Jewish celebrate Hanukkah. It is a eight day festival of religious observance by Jews around the world. They have eight candles that they light, but they cannot be blow out until the end of the festival. They also exchange gifts just like Christmas. They celebrate Hanukkah on December 21st

Anonymous said...

I actually had no idea what Hanukkah was about. Now that I do know I feel well informed. It’s really cool that they celebrate for them to celebrate for eight days. Also chocolate coins are so cool, my parents used to get them for my siblings and me when we were younger. Dreidel sounds like a fun game to play. It all sounds like a lot of fun, to be with your family for eight days every year. Just celebrating what is important to you sounds like fun.
~Mataabea Lawrence

Anonymous said...

Hanukkah is the annual Jewish Holiday with includes gambling with is considered a sin. Also they give gifts are also exchanged during the festival of Hanukkah. This tradition is formed from the Christmas tradition of gift giving with we do here in America.
Trayvon Butler

Anonymous said...

Hanukkah is very special holiday to Jews; Hanukkah is called by some people Chanukah. Lighting of Menorah is the main Hanukah tradition.
Christopher White

Anonymous said...

Emily Edwards
Some people celebrate Hanukkah and some people don’t. I do not know a lot about Hanukkah because my family and I do not celebrate it. The main thing that I do know about Hanukkah is that it lasts eight days and you light eight candles. Also, it is a Jewish Holiday which means most or some Jewish people celebrate it. If you do celebrate Hanukkah, well I hope have a great Hanukkah holiday.

Cory Childress said...

Hanukkah is a very special Jewish tradition. I've never celebrated it but I have friends that have before and still do. Hebrew is an interesting language, and even though it isn't spoken by anyone other than Jewish people it's still an important language.

Anonymous said...

Colin O’Melia November 27, 2013
I learned that the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is more than just 8 days of presents. It’s a holiday celebrating purified Oil and other things. I learned that the present’s idea came from us giving presents. And that a lot of the food they serve has oil in it because they considered it a offering to god for the gift of Oil.

Anonymous said...

Shaquadia Brown
Hanukkah is the annual Jewish Festival of Lights that starts on the 25th day of Kislev as per the Jewish calendar. In 2008, Hanukkah will be celebrated on 21st December. The Hanukkah candles are added onto the special candelabrum from right to left, but are lit only from left to right. Oil is the key ingredient of the foods, which is a sign of tribute to the miracle of purified oil. This is what I learned about Hanukkah.

Demarcus Porter said...

I learn that Hanukkah is a very special holiday to Jews.I think it's awesome, how the Jews get to celebrate for eight days.Hanukkah is also the giving of gifts,and festival for the Jews.

Griffin said...

Reading the website, I learned that the Lighting of Menorah is the main Hanukkah tradition. I also learned that oil is the main ingredient in their food. To Jewish people, Hanukkah is as important as Christmas is to Christians. Hanukkah takes place over eight days, and gifts are exchanged each day. It was interesting to learn more about this holiday which I hadn't known much about.

James Lawrence said...


reading this website I found out. Hanukkah for Jews is as important as Christmas for Christians. Hanukkah is spelled differently by different people. The main tradition is lighting of menorah. Traditional Hanukkah food is cooked using oil which is the key ingredient. I think the website and video were both very informing and interesting.

TyKera Holloman said...

Hanukkah is a tradition that known as the "festival of lights." Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday for the Jews very similar to what Christmas means to us. In between the 12 days they celebrate, they give gifts and light 12 candles each day. The similarities of Christmas and Hanukkah is the exchange of gifts and coming together to celebrate.

Ashley Whitley said...

Hanukkah is a Holiday for Jewish people. Hanukkah is spelt differently by different people. Some say it as Chanukkah and most people say it as Hanukkah. I could learn more about it from the website, because I never knew much about Hanukkah, and it seems interesting. During the days it lasts, they trade gifts and after the day a candle goes out. And just like other holidays, the week of it could change.

Anonymous said...

I found it interesting that the Jewish religion has a whole different calender. I've never really known any thing about Hanukkah, my family has always celebrated Christmas. I did know that they lit candles but I didn't realize they kept them lit for the entire eight days. I have a very rambunctious family. We couldn't keep a candle lit for one day much less eight.
Elizabeth Elsesser

Anonymous said...

Holly Cook
Hanukkah is celebrated by Jews. I believe it is important to them just like Christmas is important for Christians. I think it is very intresting how they celebarte their holiday. I also find it intresting that Hanukkah can be spelled like Chanukkah. That is something I did not know.

Anonymous said...

There are many people who either celebrate Hanukkah, either way we are a little bit the same. Some people have different traditions that have been in their family for generations. They also start a candle light which starts the countdown to Hanukkah. On the other hand, Hanukkah is a Jewish Festival of Lights that starts on the twenty-fifth day of Kislev as per the Jewish calendar, but it celebrates on the twenty-first of December. Some people might say it is just like Christmas, but sometimes Jewish people don’t celebrate it the way we do. Everyone’s different so we shouldn’t treat them different, because they have different ways of showing, “holiday spirit.”
-Cassie Hedgepeth

Anonymous said...

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday in place for Christmas in some religions. Hanukkah has a main ingredient of oil. They light 12 candles. Each night they blow one out. During this time they exchange gifts. I celebrate Christmas as a christian I know a few Jewish people there really nice. I know some people that know people that are a different religion and don't talk to any one but people in their religion. I think that is dumb but OK. Every one have a great Hanukkah and a Merry Christmas!!!!!!!


Zayne Bankson

Trevor Cross said...

Hanukkah is the annual Jewish Festival of Lights that starts on the 25th day of Kislev. Hanukkah celebrates the victory of Jewish troops led by Judah Maccabee over the Greek soldiers. During Hanukkah they light the menorah; the lighting is part of the main tradition.

Anonymous said...

Taijii Skeeter

Hanukkah is a holiday celebrated by Jews. They light up 12 candles each night they blow them out. That's when they all exchange their gifts. Christmas is important to Christians.

Anonymous said...

By reading from the website I learned that gambling is a sin. I never knew that it was a sin to them , but yet they still gamble. I also learned that they gamble for chocolate coins which sounds awesome.

Trey King

Anonymous said...


Holden Hyler

Hanukkah is celebrated on the 25 December.Hanukkah celebrates the victory of Jewish troops led by Judah Maccabee over the Greek soldiers. lighting the menorah is the main Hanukkah tradition.

Brianna Mcnew said...

Hanukkah is an Annual festival for the Jewish people. The festival they have lasts for about 8 days. Hanukkah for Jews is as important as Christmas for Christians. Hanukkah varies every year because of the western calendar.

Anonymous said...

Zach Reese
Finally, the time has come to dust off the Christmas CDs and pull out the most embracing sweaters for Grandma. I do not do Hanukkah but I respect it because of the people who do. Jesus was Jewish and this is one of the calibrations leading to Christmas.

Anonymous said...

Hanukkah is a holiday that not to many know about. Hanukkah is celebrated by Jews. Hanukkah is spelled differently by different people. Lighting of Menorah is the main tradition.

Josh Edwards

Albert Rawles said...

Hanukkah for Jews is as important as Christmas for Christians.
Hanukkah is spelt differently by different people. Some name it as Chanukkah while the majority of people name it as Hanukkah.
-Albert Rawles

Anonymous said...

Hanukkah is a holiday celebrated by most Jews. They light 12 candles at night and blow one out each night for 12 days.Each night they exchange one gift.
Imani Horsley

Kelvin Jackson said...

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday. Its like Christmas but for Jews. I just love they are more thankful for family then prizes.

Izabelle Aiken said...

Hanukkah is celabrated on 25 of December. Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday for all the Jews just like Christmas is for us. Also Hanukkah is know as the festival of lights. Hanukkah sound intresting.

Anonymous said...

Hanukkah is a very well known Jewish holiday. For the Jews Hanukkah is like Christmas for the Christians. Also gifts are also also exchanged during the festival of Hanukkah, this tradition is adapted from the Christmas tradition gift giving.
Adrian Rhodes

Anonymous said...

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday of Christmas for the Jews. Hanukkah is spelled differently for different people. Some people name Hanukkah, Chanukkah, but the majority refer to is as Hanukkah. Gifts are exchanged during the festival of Hanukkah.The gift exchanging is something like you do on Christmas.

Benniqua Allmond

Tabatha Davis said...

I never really knew much about Hanukkah until now. I did not know that people receive present on Hanukkah. I also did not know that they put the candles in one way and blew them out the other way.

Anonymous said...


I don’t really know anything about Hanukkah, I just know that you light a candle everyday of the eight days. I never knew that you only light the candles from Left to Right. It probably is very important to them as Christmas is for us. So Hanukkah is like Thanksgiving and Christmas put together? That would be awesome stuff your face and opening gift!

-Samantha Albert

Rayquan Parker said...

Christmas is one of the best holidays in the entire world I think. For one reason is because it is the day that our father was born. I Don't know a'lot about Hanukkah but it also seems like it could be a fun tradition.