It depends. The spelling varies because it’s a Hebrew-to-English transliteration. So Hanukkah (which is the Miami Herald style) can be spelled Chanukah or Chanuka.
That’s only one of the many questions about the holiday, also known as the festival of lights.
This year’s celebration begins at sundown Sunday, Dec. 23, and ends at nightfall Monday, Dec. 30.
Here’s a guide that tackles eight — because there are eight nights of celebrating — questions about the holiday, including what to eat and when to celebrate.
“One thing that’s interesting about Hanukkah is how its meaning has transitioned over time,” Jacob Solomon, president of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, said a few years ago. “Depending on where it is celebrated, it can take on a different meaning.”
1. What is the meaning?
The word (no matter how you spell it) means dedication. The holiday is the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after Jews were banned from practicing their faith there more than 2,000 years ago.
“This is a holiday where we fought to practice our own religion,” said Temple Sinai of North Dade Rabbi Alan Litwak.
The main idea is that a small group was able to ward off a larger group, Solomon said.
In the Second Century, the Maccabees, the Jewish rebel army, revolted against the Syrian-Greek Empire and reclaimed the temple.
And the reason Jews celebrate for eight days and eight nights? Oil that was supposed to last only one day — but it lasted eight.
“You always want to be in the business of adding light,” Solomon said.
A plate of homemade sugar cookies for Hanukkah — dreidels, stars, and menorahs. Getty Images
2. What do we eat?
The main Hanukkah foods are latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (doughnuts). The reason: Oil.
Oil is synonymous with the holiday’s miracle. And lots of it is used to fry up these favorites.
Philip Einhorn, who owns the Kosher Kingdom market in Aventura, said he expects to sell 15,000 latkes in a two-week span.
“We get crazy busy this time of the year,” he said.
He said the doughnuts — especially the jelly-filled ones — are also super popular. He expects to sell 4,000 on the first day.
“The traditional jelly doughnut with the powder on top is the most popular.”
Latkes are traditionally eaten on Hanukkah. Miami Herald File
3. What music is played for the holiday?
Hanukkah music tends to follow three basic themes — miracles, light and freedom, said Temple Beth Am Cantor Rachelle Nelson.
Nelson said the Pinecrest synagogue will have a pre-Hanukkah celebration this year on Friday, which will include traditional songs like I Have a Little Dreidel and modern songs like Stacy Beyer’s Haneirot Halalu.
Nelson said Halalu is a response song and gets everyone involved.
Nelson, who has been a cantor for 30 years, said while there is a distinct melody for Hanukkah, it is important to “make sure we stay relevant.”
Temple Beth Sholom Cantor Lisa Segal said her Miami Beach synagogue does a Hanukkah sing-along for “Shabanukah” service (which is held on the Friday, Shabbat, during the holiday).
The service will end as it does every year with Peter, Paul and Mary’s Light Every Candle.
Don’t let the light go out!
It’s lasted for so many years!
Temple Beth Sholom Cantor Lisa Segal will have a Hanukah sing-a-long during a special Shabanukah service Dec. 27, 2019. MIAMI HERALD File
4. What’s with the gifts?
The idea of exchanging gifts each night of Hanukkah is more of a modern take on the holiday, Solomon said.
“There’s no question that the emphasis of gift-giving is a reaction to the proximity of Christmas,” he said.
But people have found ways to use the holiday for Tikun Olam (repairing the world) — basically, giving back to make the world a better place,
Rachel Unger, 41, said she and her husband, Michael Feldman, do not give their two children gifts. Instead, each night is used to give back and “spread light.”
For example, on one night her son and daughter are each given $20 to donate to a charity.
“The children really get into it,” she said. “To me, this is closer to the real meaning of the holiday.”
Rachel Unger and her husband Michael Feldman use Hanukkah to teach their children about social justice. Here they are pictured collecting donated food to bring to Lotus House. Handout
5. Why does Hanukkah fall on a different day each year?
Like all other Jewish holidays, Hanukkah rarely begins on the same night every year. Because of the Lunar calendar — which is based on the cycles of the moon — Hanukkah can be as early as Thanksgiving (which it was in 2013) or even fall into the new year.
In 2013, Hanukkah began on the night before Thanksgiving (Thanksgivukkah!). This was the first time since 1888 that the two holidays coincided. It’s not expected to happen again for 70,000 years.
Litwak said Hanukkah celebrations tend to change a little depending on when it falls.
This year, the holiday coincides with Christmas.
“It is a reminder that we are influenced by our surroundings,” Litwak said several years ago.
In 2013, Hanukkah and Thanksgiving coincided. File Photo
6. How do you light a menorah? Also, what is a menorah?
A Hanukkah menorah is a nine-branched candelabrum used to celebrate the festival of light.
The shamash — or the “attendant” candle — is used to light the other candles.
On the first night, a candle is placed in the far right opening. The shamash is lit and then the flame is passed to the candle. For every night, a new candle is lit first.
“Every day we add a light to suggest that we need to continue to push ourselves to spread the light,” said Chabad House of Miami Beach Rabbi Zev Katz.
The community is invited to attend a traditional Menorah lighting ceremony hosted by the City of Key West at Bayview Park, Thursday, December 14, from 5:30-6:30pm, with blessings offered by Rabbi Shimon Dudai from Congregation B’Nai Zion and Rabbi Jacob Zucker from Chabad of the Florida Keys. Conducted just before sunset, the lighting signals the beginning of Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights. The Lighting of the Menorah is one of many celebrations that occur during the island-wide Key West Holiday Fest, which is presented in part by the Lodging Association of the Florida Keys & Key West and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and runs through December 31. For more information on holiday happenings, visit KeyWestHolidayFest.com. Miami Herald File
7. What are the other symbols for the holidays?
I have a little Dreidel, I made it out of clay is a traditional song for the holiday.
But dreidels — four-sided spinning tops used to play a game — can be made with plastic, wood, even silver.
Dreidels come in all shapes and sizes and are even art pieces. Some can be as cheap as 20 cents and others can cost more than $100.
The smaller plastic ones are often used for the dreidel game, in which each side of the dreidel has a letter that stands for either take nothing, take half, add one or take all.
And a big part of the game: gelt or money, often made out of chocolate.
Gelt is chocolate coins often given to children during Hanukkah. Miami Herald File
8. Where can I go to celebrate?
Seeing a giant menorah in public places is common because “we are supposed to publicize the miracle,” Solomon said.
Menorah lightings will be held throughout South Florida at city halls, synagogues and other public spaces.
Some Jewish communities have upped the Hanukkah game by holding helicopter chocolate coin drops and glow-in-the-dark services.
“It’s about passing the traditions on to the children,” Litwak said.
While many families have small menorahs in their homes, the idea is to share the miracle with others, Litwak said.
Katz said the yearly lighting of the giant shell menorah on Lincoln Road in South Beach draws hundreds.
“It’s a huge event,” Katz said, adding this year they will be passing out menorahs to those who don’t have one.
Miami Herald File
Here’s a sampling of events:
▪Grand Hanukkah celebration at the Falls: At 5 p.m. Sunday, the Chabad of Kendall will host a free public celebration including a performance by The Magical World of Bill Crane and live music at The Falls, 8888 SW 136th St. For more information call 305-234-5654 or visit www.chabadofkendall.org.
▪ Menorah lighting in Miami Beach: Chabad House of Miami Beach will light the giant menorah made out of shells nightly at 6 p.m.. On Sunday, the first night, live music will begin at 5 p.m. on Lincoln Road at Euclid Circle. For more information call 305-CHABAD-1.
▪ Chabad of South Broward Chanukah Festival 2019: The festival, which will feature a lighting and musical performance by Mordechai Shapiro, will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Gulfstream Park, 901 Federal Hwy. in Hallandale Beach. For more information visit Chanukahfestival.com.
▪Lets Turn on the Lights! A Chanukah Show: Thisisan educational Hanukkah show for children up to 6 years of age and parents. It will be held at 10 a.m. Sunday at Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center, 18900 NE 25th Ave. Cost is $7 at the door. For information call 305-932-4200 Ext 127.
▪ The Coral Gables Festival of Lights Hanukkah Celebration will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Ponce Circle Park, 2800 Ponce de Leon Blvd. in Coral Gables. It will feature a first-ever Hanukkah Gelt Drop — Coral Gables firefighters will climb their ladders and shower chocolate gelt (coins). The event is open to everyone and will include live music, crafts for children, complimentary potato latkes and Hanukkah doughnuts.
▪ Jewish Community Day at Miami Dolphins game: The first night of Hanukkah will be celebrated during the Miami Dolphins home game Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium, 347 Don Shula Dr. in Miami Gardens. The event will begin with a pre-game concert at 11:30 a.m. Cost, $85 for lower level and $45 for upper level. For more information call 305-943-1523.
▪ Hanukkah street fair: Chabad Chayil will hold a fair including roaming entertainment, music and a lighting from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. December 26, 2019 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM Thursday at Chabad Chayil, 2601 NE 211 Terrace. For more information call 305-770-1919.
This story was originally published December 20, 2019 at 7:00 AM.
Carli Teproff grew up in Northeast Miami-Dade and graduated from Florida International University in 2003. She became a full-time reporter for the Miami Herald in 2005 and now covers breaking news.
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