Hanukah 2024 in Tel Aviv

Hanukah 2024 in Tel Aviv. Under the very dark cloud of the horrific attack on October 7th 2024 and awaiting the return of innocent hostages, Tel Aviv will still manage to spread some brightness for this sweet festival. Again we are spoilt for choice with Artisan mouthwatering donuts, each looking more tempting and delicious than the next! Hanukah 2024 in Tel Aviv will have an array of mouth watering offerings, all looking scrumptious. These will definitely stimulate any palate and certainly leave me wanting to taste more! But alas, these sweet goodies are fatal for the figure so a little self control is in order! I will munch my way slowly through one, maybe two jam filled “sufganiyot” and maintain my regular exercise regime to keep me in check, in case I become a donut myself! Hanukah 2024 in Tel Aviv, will be about enjoying the light of this festival in any way we can, trying to have some temporary relief from the trauma that we are now living with. Sharing food, spending time with family, and laughing with close friends. Sadly we are limited in our capacity for any celebration. Holidays once very much “a happening” are now so much less obvious. Hanukah 2024 in Tel Aviv will display windows filled with festive paraphernalia in the hope that this will cheer our spirits and empty our pockets! An abundance of dreidels (spinning tops) of painted wood, paper mache, and traditional filigree silver. Contemporary Hanukkiah or menorah (the nine-branched candelabra used during Hanukah), all designed in a variety of treated metals, glass, pottery or wood. Each item used as an artful reminder of the importance of the festival of light. All to ensure Hanukah burns truly bright, bringing an end to the living nightmare that now haunts us in Israel and throughout the world.

We are proudly blue and white! Hanukah 2024 in Tel Aviv is still hopeful that we will be fully celebrating once again soon! We welcome in this Holy festival with sweetness and blessings both here in Israel and, with all Jews and Zionists across the globe.

What does Hanukah represent? Why is it each year we light the eight candles on the Hanukkiah? All the rituals for Hanukah, are to commemorate our devotion and re-commitment to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. It is not only a festive period, but a time that we remember the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. It is the time we thankfully recall the triumph of light over darkness.

At the time of the 2nd Temple, the ruling Greek dynasty accepted the Jewish Torah as a book of wisdom. Unfortunately, they refused to acknowledge it’s significance to the actual Jewish faith. The Greeks decreed that learning the Torah was forbidden and seized all Jewish property and possessions. Further abuse of their power and disrespect for the Jews was to place idols of worship at the Holy Temple (Beit HaMikdash). The Jewish people without homes or hope were afraid to stand up against this tyranny. However, one brave man Mattityahu and his sons, the Maccabees were not. Against all odds, the Maccabees fought back and drove the cruel oppressor from the Holy Land.

During their occupation, the Greeks had defiled the Temple and made the oil impure. Fortunately, the Maccabees uncovered one jar that had been overlooked but, which contained sufficient oil for one day only. Their unwavering faith again gave them courage, so they lit this last jar and released another miracle. The oil burned for eight days! This was cause for great happiness and with daily life restored and the Temple cleansed, the Jewish faith became even stronger.

Hanukah 2024 in Tel Aviv will be observed for eight nights and days commencing on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar. This coincides with the secular dates of 25th December 2024 (evening of) until 2nd January 2025. During this period, we are constantly reminded of the miracles of Hanukah. We are encouraged to recall the small band of heroic Jews against the great Greek army and the one jar of simple oil lasting for eight days. We remember that it is because of these extraordinary events we celebrate our freedom from the darkness to the light.

The Jewish people, honor Hanukah by kindling the lights (candles) of the Hanukkiah, one for each evening throughout the holiday until we reach the final night. Each of the eight candles is lit with the ninth, known as the ‘Shamash’ (he who attends), and is placed either in the center of the menorah or in a distinct location to separate it from the rest. Then we do what we’re really great at, we eat, we drink and we sing. This year we also remember and mourn the lost souls who are unable to join us.