When is Hanukkah 2023? What to know about the Jewish Festival of Lights
The countdown to Hanukkah has begun!
Families across the country are gearing up for the eight-day Jewish celebration, commemorated by the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games and gifts. According to USA TODAY, the Jewish Festival of Lights occurs annually during the months of November and December, but exact dates vary from year to year.
Here's everything to know about Hanukkah 2023, including when it begins and important events around Greater Cincinnati.
When is Hanukkah 2023?
Hanukkah begins after sundown on Thursday, Dec. 7, this year, and ends after sundown on Friday, Dec. 15.
The holiday begins on the 25th day of Kislev each year, the ninth month of the Jewish calendar.
Why does Hanukkah change every year?
The Hebrew calendar is based on the lunar cycle, the Old Farmer's Almanac reports, so Jewish holidays are celebrated on different dates yearly. The start of Hanukkah typically ranges from the end of November to the end of December.
What is the meaning of Hanukkah?
Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is meant to signify a miracle in the Jewish faith.
Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of one day's worth of oil lasting for eight days after Syrian Greeks defiled the Jerusalem Temple before the Maccabees, a group of Jewish soldiers, defeated them.
How is Hanukkah celebrated?
Hanukkah is celebrated for eight consecutive nights and features the lighting of a nine-stemmed candelabra called the menorah. The menorah differs from other candelabras because it includes an extra candle, called the shammes or shammash, used to light the other eight candles.
According to Chabad, a Jewish organization, the menorah lighting "usually occurs at home, in a doorway or near a window." However, communal menorah lightings also occur during the eight-day celebration.
Other Hanukkah customs include playing with dreidels and eating festive foods, such as latkes, potato pancakes and "sufganiyots," or doughnuts.
How two Cincinnati rabbis played a role in popularizing Hanukkah
Did you know two Cincinnati rabbis popularized Hanukkah in America?
Hanukkah is regarded as a minor Jewish holiday outside of the U.S. However, Rabbi Isaac M. Wise of Plum Street Temple and Rabbi Max Lilienthal of Mound Street Temple introduced Hanukkah festivals to the region after the Civil War. They also promoted them in their publications, sent to Jewish communities nationwide.
Hanukkah celebrations have since become a tradition in synagogues across the globe, especially in the U.S.
When is the Fountain Square menorah lighting?
The Chabad Menorah Lighting will occur Wednesday, Dec. 13, in Fountain Square from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Hanukkah events in Greater Cincinnati 2023
Hanukkah at Fountain Square
When: Dec. 13 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Where: Fountain Square.
What: An outdoor menorah lighting with a light show, ice skating, bumper cars, food and more.
Learn more at jewishcincinnati.org.
Rockwern Let it Glow
When: Dec. 9-14 from 6-8 p.m.
Where: Rockwern Academy. 8401 Montgomery Road, Kenwood.
What: A drive-thru light show.
Learn more at rockwernacademy.org.
Latke Party at Northern Hills
When: Dec. 12 from 5:30-8 p.m.
Where: Northern Hills Synagogue. 5714 Fields Ertel Road, Symmes Township.
What: Bring your own menorah to light with the community while indulging in games, latkes and sufganiyot.
Learn more at jewishcincinnati.org.
Three Acts: Jewish Over-the-Rhine
When: Dec. 14 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Where: Memorial Hall. 1225 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine.
What: This program features three talks about the role and impact of Jewish residents in Over-the-Rhine and the West End.
Learn more at otrmuseum.org/events/jewish-over-the-rhine.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: When is Hanukkah 2023? Dates, history, traditions and more
