By celebrating the Jewish holiday Hanukkah each year for eight nights, people who practice Judaism are able to fill their homes with joy, remembrance and plenty of decorations. This year, Hanukkah takes place from December 25 through January 2.
The story of Hanukkah has been told to Jewish families for hundreds of years.
It’s the story of a king named Antiochos who wanted to eradicate the Jews in Israel.
The Maccabes were a resistance group and they fought against the Syrians.
The Assyrian king destroyed the Jewish temple, and the Maccabes fought back.
Even though the Maccabees were outnumbered, they still won the two battles against the Syrians.
The Jewish people decided to go back and rebuild the temple. They only had enough oil for one day, but it miraculously lasted for eight.
Because of this, Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days to commemorate the story behind the holiday.
According to Jewish Heritage Club cofounder Noah Utain, Hanukkah helps him form a stronger bond with the people around him.
“It’s nice to be able to celebrate [ Hanukkah] with my family especially with my dad,” Utain said. “I think it’s a great way to bond and celebrate our history.”
Utain also loves all the different types of food the holiday has to offer.
“My favorite [food] is kugel. It’s very sweet and sugary. It’s delicious and very good,” Utain said. Kugel is traditionally made with potatoes or egg noodles.
Senior Chaya Thomas said one of her favorite Hanukkah memories was, “when I was in elementary school [and] my mom used to come into my classroom and teach my class all about Hanukkah,” Thomas said.
Along with Hanukkah itself, Utain said that the Jewish Heritage Club has helped him learn more about his religion.
“I think it’s cool how I get to now celebrate more Jewish holidays with people in the club,” Utain said.
Thomas also said that Hanukkah has a special meaning to her.
“One of my favorite parts is being able to celebrate with my family because Hanukkah is a reason for us to get together,” Thomas said.
Additionally, Hanukkah brings many people to a more festive spirit.
Jewish Heritage Club co-founder Zach Chasan said Hanukkah is an exciting time that brings fun memories for him.
“During one of the Hanukkah nights I got to go over to a friend’s house and have a sleepover,” Chasan said.
Along with that, Chasan shared some of the traditions his family does during the holiday season.
“I like to get together with my family and play dreidel with my cousin,” Chasan said. “Little traditions like that give a sense of togetherness.”
According to parents Alexis and Rob Krekstein, Hanukkah is a time where families should be together. “I love being with my husband and kids during Hanukkah,” Alexis said. “It really is a special time.”
Rob said his favorite thing about Hanukkah is “being able to share my religion and holidays with my kids, [which] means a lot to me, and I hope they one day feel the same.”