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Congregation Beth Sholom-A San Francisco Jewish Conservative Synagogue
Hanukkah

Celebration of Lights


Hanukkah occurs around the winter solstice -- when the day is shortest and the night longest and when it is easy to believe that the light will never return -- so for eight nights we light little candles. But the modern festival of Hanukkah also commemorates the Maccabean revolt in the Second Century BCE. At that time the land of Israel fell under the control of the Syrian Greeks. Taking control of the Temple, the Greeks introduced a pantheon of pagan gods and desecrated the Holy of Holies. Under leadership of the Maccabbees, the Jews rose up to overthrow the occupiers and regain the Temple.

At Beth Sholom we celebrate Hanukkah as a community, as well as in our homes. At our congregational party, there are always plenty of latkes, the traditional potato pancakes, with rich sour cream and applesauce toppings, as well as the traditional pastries and dairy foods.


 
 
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Hanukkah: "Dedication" (in Hebrew)

Hallel: A group of Psalms chanted during regular services as a special praise of God.

What Is Hanukkah?

Our rabbis taught: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev begin the eight days of Hanukkah, on which lamentation for the dead and fasting are forbidden. For when the Greeks entered the Temple, they defiled all the oils in it, and when the Hasmonean dynasty prevailed over them and defeated them, they searched and found only one bottle of oil sealed by the High Priest. It contained only enough for one day's lighting. Yet a miracle was brought about with it, and they lit with that oil for eight days. The following year they were established as a festival, with Hallel and Thanksgiving.

From the Talmud, Tractate Shabbat 21b