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Posts Tagged ‘Jewish’

The menorah is used during the eight day celebration of Hanukkah. The Hebrew word for menorah is Hanukiyah. Some people also call it a candelabra or candelabrum.

Hanukkah is celebrated each year on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev. Depending on when that date falls, Hanukkah is celebrated in late November or early December.

The first menorah had seven branches. Each branch symbolized one day of the week and it burned olive oil. The second menorah also had seven branches, but when the first and second Temples were destroyed seven branched menorahs were no longer used. Seven branched menorahs are available in today’s modern times though, in honor of and as a reminder of the first menorah.

Today the more common menorah has eight branches along with a ninth branch to hold the candle that is used to light the other candles. On the first night of Hanukkah one candle is light, the candle on the far right side of the menorah. It is lit by the Shamash candle (also called the server candle), which is the candle in the center of the menorah (the one that is higher than the other candles). The Shamash candle is always the candle used to light the other candles in the menorah. On each succeeding night of Hanukkah another candle is lit. The candles are placed in the menorah from right to left; but they are lit from left to right. By the eighth day of the Hanukkah celebration, all the candles on the menorah are lit.

It is encouraged that the menorah try to be lit as soon as the first stars can be seen in the night sky, but it can be later in the evening too. A blessing is spoken when the menorah is lit. The ceremony of lighting the menorah is traditionally witnessed by the entire household. After the menorah is lit, it is customarily placed in or near a window so people passing by can see it. The menorah stays lit until the candles burn themselves out.

The menorahs available today vary from simple to elaborate. There are special menorahs just for children brass; tabletop menorahs; floor menorahs; and menorahs that are electrified instead of burning candles. Some types and styles I’ve seen include: crystal, etched glass, aluminum, ceramic, wood, silver, gold, and even various animal menorahs such as a dove menorah and elephant menorah.

The menorah is an important Jewish symbol and is widely recognized. Many non-Jewish or gentile people may not be familiar with Jewish history and traditions but they likely know what a menorah is.

Source: Free Articles

Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, celebrated by African-Americans and Jewish people respectively, are observed during the Christmas season. The celebrations are separate from activities related to Christmas however. The observances of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah are also one reason that people also give wishes of Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas during the season.

Although both activities are very different and were originated for different reasons, some similarities can be found between the two practices. Both celebrations have commitment as a central and important theme. They also both include symbolic forms of light and are both commemorated over almost the same number of days – seven days from December 26 to January 1 for Kwanzaa, and eight days and night for Hanukkah – usually starting about one week before Christmas Day.

Starting with its origination, Hanukkah celebrations dates to an event in 165 B.C. when the Jews were victorious over the Syrians. Hanukkah started as a way to restore and rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem that had been desecrated, including its golden menorah, by the Syrians. The festival also served the purpose of once more observing and re-instituting rituals that the Syrians had forbidden during their rule.

Kwanzaa was started in 1966 by a university professor as a way for African-Americans and others in the African diaspora to engage in celebrations that included elements of African culture.

While Kwanzaa is not as popular as Christmas, it keeps growing and its goal has been achieved to some extent as it is now practiced in many nations such as those in the Caribbean, which have a large population of people of African ancestry. The wide availability of Kwanzaa greeting cards and even postage stamps at Christmas time, also attests to the extent to which the celebration has entered the mainstream.

The primary symbol of Hanukkah, the menorah, which consists of eight individual lights, is very much a part of the mainstream. Menorahs are available today in various shapes and sizes. A single standard requirement that must be observed in making a menorah is that there should be enough separation between the flame of each of the eight lights so that they don’t give the total effect of a single large flame when all are lit.

A flame is lit each night over the days in remembrance of how a small quantity of oil from the desecrated Temple kept a menorah burning for eight days, when the amount should have only lasted for a single day. It was that miraculous occurrence that gave rise to the Hanukkah celebration to light a menorah over eight days.

Kwanzaa symbols include a candle holder and seven candles that represent the roots of African ancestors and seven core principles of Kwanzaa respectively. Other symbols are, The Crops for African harvest, Mat for African tradition, Corn for the future represented by children, the Unity Cup and the Gifts. The Flag and Poster of Seven Principles are two supplemental symbols. These items can be found at specialty African and African-American shops in some malls and in town with a heavy concentration of African and African-American population.

Among the most important features of Kwanzaa are the seven core principles and values they embody: self-determination, unity, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. These seven principles are meant to be a foundation and guide upon which the African diaspora can build a strong, successful and fulfilling life while maintaining a connection to their roots.

While not religious, the principles of Kwanzaa are meant to instill a strong sense of spirituality in individuals. Kwanzaa seeks to instill spirituality upon which individuals can build self-confidence and secure self-identity through a link to their roots. This sense of spirituality and connection to one’s history, roots or ancestry is also an element of similarity between Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.