When is Hanukkah 2023? Here is everything you need to know about the holiday

Tamara Walker, Asbury Park Press
Updated ·2 min read

Hanukkah is coming!

The "Festival of Lights" dates back to 164 BCE after the Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated by the Maccabees. They were a group of Jews leading a rebellion against Antiochus, a Greco-Syrian leader who had forbidden many Jewish religious practices and desecrated the temple.

The holiday marks a time of celebration and reflection in the Jewish communities.

Here are some things you may or may not know about Hanukkah.

What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is the Hebrew word for dedication. The holiday celebrates the Festival of Lights, which commemorates the Maccabean soldiers’ victory over the Syrian Greek army.

When does Hanukkah start?

This year Hanukkah 2023 starts on Thursday, Dec. 7 at sundown and ends on Friday, Dec. 15. at sundown.

How long does Hanukkah last?

The celebration is a eight-day festival. The miracle of Hanukkah was that one vial of oil was found, which was only enough to illuminate the Temple lamp for one day, but it lasted for eight full days.

Why is Hanukkah celebrated?

The holiday rededicates the Holy Temple in Jerusalem that was reclaimed by Judah and the Macabees and restored its menorah, or lamp.

What are some Hanukkah traditions?

Traditions include lighting of the menorah, playing the game of dreidel, and eating foods such as potato pancakes known as latkes and jelly donuts, or sufganiyot.

What is a dreidel?

A small four-sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter on each side. The letters on the dreidel are the first letters in a Hebrew phrase that means “A Great Miracle Happened There.” Players spin the dreidel, and the letter on top when it lands corresponds to a different instruction − Nun, the player gets nothing; Gimmel, the player gets the entire contents of the pot; Hey, the player gets half of the pot; and Shin, the player must add into the pot.

How to greet someone on Hanukkah?

Folks can greet in English with “Happy Hanukkah"

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: When does Hanukkah start in 2023?