Happy Hanukkah! When is the holiday in 2023 and what is the meaning? What you need to know

The time has come for one of the most popular Jewish religious observances − Hanukkah.

While Christians celebrate Christmas every year on Dec. 25, Jews can celebrate Hanukkah as early as November.

This is because the date fluctuates with the Gregorian calendar, which uses a solar dating system. The date is always the same on the Hebrew or Jewish calendar because it is timed with the moon.

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Here’s what you need to know about Hanukkah:

How do you spell Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is the correct spelling, but chanukah is also acceptable. Hannukah is a common misspelling of the holiday.

When is Chanukah 2023?

Hanukkah runs from sundown on Thursday, Dec. 7 through sundown on Friday, Dec. 15 in 2023.

When does Hanukkah start in 2023?

The first day of Hanukkah is Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023.

When does Hanukkah end in 2023?

The last day of Hanukkah is Friday, Dec. 15, 2023.

What is Hanukkah?

Rabbi Shmuli Novack of Chabad of Jacksonville lights the menorah at St. Johns Town Center in 2022.

Hanukkah − often referred to as the festival of lights − reaffirms the ideals of Judaism, commemorating in particular the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem through a Jewish festival by lighting candles over the span of eight days, according to brittanica.com.

While not mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures, Hanukkah remains one of the most popular Jewish religious observances and is widely celebrated.

How many days is Hanukkah?

The festival of lights runs for eight days and nights.

Why does Hanukkah last for 8 days?

The Talmud − which is a compilation of ancient teachings regarded as sacred by the Jewish people − tells of Judah Maccabee, a guerrilla leader that helped preserve the Jewish religion, according to brittanica.com.

He entered the Second Temple of Jerusalem only to find a small jar of oil that had not been defiled by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king of the Hellenistic Syrian kingdom who invaded the Jews.

Antiochus forbade Jews to practice their religion and demanded all copies of the Jewish Law be burned.

After the Second Temple of Jerusalem was ransacked by Antiochus, there was only enough oil in the jar to burn for a single day. However, the oil miraculously burned for eight days until new consecrated oil could be found. Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days to remember and honor the miracle.

How do you celebrate Hanukkah?

According to brittanica.com, Hanukkah is celebrated in multiple ways. Celebration includes lighting a candle each day of Hanukkah using a menorah. Religious rituals can include almsgiving, daily reading of Scripture, recitation of some of the Psalms and singing of a special hymn.

Some nonreligious customs of celebration include eating certain treats, giving children gifts of chocolate coins and playing with a dreidel.

What is a menorah?

A menorah is a multi-branch candelabra used during religious rituals of Judaism, according to brittanica.com. There is a seven-branch menorah and an eight-branch menorah. The eight-branch menorah is used during Hanukkah.

“The Hanukkah lamp is an eight-branched imitation of the original Tabernacle menorah that is used to celebrate the rededication of the Second Temple. The lamp has taken many forms through the ages, but its essential feature has been eight receptacles for oil or candles and a holder for the shammash (“servant”) light, which is used for kindling the other lights. During each night of Hanukkah, candles are inserted into the menorah from right to left but are lighted from left to right. The lamp is displayed in a highly visible location, and depictions of it are often found on public buildings, synagogues, and private homes.” − britannica.com

How many candles for Hanukkah?

The menorah holds eight candles for Hanukkah, according to brittanica.com.

How do you light Hanukkah candles?

One of the candles − referred to as the servant light or “shammash” − is used to light all eight candles, according to brittanica.com. A candle is inserted into the menorah from right to left each night of Hanukkah. After being inserted into the menorah, candles are lit from left to right.

What is dreidel?

A game using a four-sided top − a dreidel − that has a Hebrew letter painted on each side. The four sides can display Chai or Hey, Gimel, Nun and Shin.

Players attempt to collect the most “gelt” − chocolate wrapped in gold tin foil made to look like coins − from a poker-style pot. Each face of the dreidel instructs a player to add gelt to the pot or take it from the pot. The game ends when one player has collected all of the gelt and is declared the winner.

What are latkes?

Latkes are potato pancakes.

Why are latkes eaten by Jews during Hanukkah?

According to tenement.org, the oil of the menorah remained aflame for eight days despite only being enough for a single day after the Second Temple of Jerusalem had been ransacked. The oil used to fry the latkes symbolizes that very miracle of Hanukkah.

Chris Sims is a digital producer for the Journal Star. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Hanukkah 2023: What is Chanukah? When is the festival of lights?