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8 Hanukkah Traditions From Around the World
From bonfires to hanging menorahs to an extra candle, here are some lesser-known Jewish Hanukkah traditions from all over the globe.
How to Light the Hanukkah Menorah
The traditional blessings and procedures for lighting the Hanukkah candles.
The December Dilemma
Whether you ignore Christmas altogether or celebrate it with non-Jewish friends or family, the holiday provokes a lot of emotions.
Hanukkah 2024
In 2024, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024 and lasts until sundown on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025.
Get ready for hanukkah!
Hannukkah begins in 2024 at sundown on December 25th.
What You Need to Know About the Hanukkah Story
The Maccabean revolt and the miracle of the oil.
How to Play Dreidel
Learn how to play this Hanukkah game with our video and written instructions.
Next Torah Portion
Summary
In this Torah portion, Pharaoh has two troubling dreams, and at the suggestion of his cupbearer, who remembers Joseph from prison, Pharaoh brings Joseph to interpret them. Pharaoh is so impressed by Joseph that he makes him his adviser. There is a famine, and Jacob sends his sons, minus Benjamin, to Egypt to buy food. The brothers do not recognize Joseph when they meet him, and Joseph tests them by accusing them of being spies. Joseph arrests Simeon and demands the brothers bring Benjamin to Egypt to prove they are not spies. When Benjamin arrives, Joseph puts a goblet in Benjamin’s bag and accuses him of stealing it.
Parashat Miketz
Torah Reading
Genesis 41:1-44:17; Numbers 7:24-29
Haftarah
Zechariah 2:14-4:7 | Chanukah Day 3 (on Shabbat)
Featured Commentary
Parashat Miketz: Coercion vs. Love
This Torah portion begs the question of whether it’s acceptable to use coercive power to have people to do something that’s good for them.
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Daf Yomi
STUDY RESOURCES
Recharge Now
Our weekly Shabbat newsletter, Recharge, features a thoughtful, timely essay to enrich your Shabbat. Here are a few of our recent pieces:
The Light of Connection
Differences need not diminish us.
A Time for Rabbis
In a time of deep social division, it’s vital that we choose our messengers wisely.
God Is In This Place
Turning away from our destination may be how we get where we need to go.
MORE from MY JEWISH LEARNING
Sefer Yetzirah: The Book of Creation
This ancient mystical text introduced many concepts that would be more fully developed by the tradition of Kabbalah.
The Jews of Greece
The oldest Jewish community in Europe traces its history back more than 2,300 years.
Shehechiyanu: A Meditation on this Moment
This blessing, traditionally recited for firsts, can be said anytime — since every moment is new and unprecedented.
How to Talk to God
The Hasidic prayer practice of hitbodedut — talking to God freely in one’s native tongue — helps to build intimacy over time.
Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World
This phrase with kabbalistic roots has come to connote social justice.