Hanukkah Traditions

Hanukkah is a minor holiday in the Jewish Calendar, yet since the 1970s has become a very public important holiday. Jewish people work, as usual, schools stay open, and there is an exchange of gifts, singing songs from the psalms, playing with the dreidel, and lighting the candles using the Shamash [helper] to light the other candles, so on the first night, two lights are lit, on the second three, ending with nine on the last night, for a total of 44 candles. The box of Hanukkah candles has exactly 44 candles. 

The Dreidel has a special meaning because, during the time when it was forbidden to practice Judaism, the Jewish people would play dreidel when the soldiers approached and hid their religious books under.

“Hanukkah Gelt” is often given to children, and Fried foods (such as latkes (potato pancakes), jelly doughnuts are eaten to commemorate the importance of oil during the restoration of the temple.