Hanukkah Research Paper
Jewish Holy Days Paper
"Hanukkah"
Rel/134 World Religious Traditions 2
Jewish Holy Days "Jewish celebrations are not limited to life-cycle events. As do all religions, Judaism sets aside certain holidays and days of remembrance as holy days. These holy days are scheduled according to the Jewish calendar" ("Basic Judaism", 2011). Unlike other calendars that are based off of the earth's revolutions around the sun the Jewish is on a secular calendar meaning it is made up of moon cycles where each month begins with a new moon. " Jewish holidays fall each year on different dates according to the secular calendar, but on the same date according to the Jewish calendar. Generally speaking, however, Jewish holidays always fall in the same season …show more content…
" Hanukkah, which means "dedication" in Hebrew, begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in November or December. Often called the Festival of Lights, the holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games and gifts" ("Hanukkah", 1996-2012). Hanukkah can easily be looked at as one of the best known Jewish holiday not just for its religious significance, but for its proximity to Christmas because the eight day festival begins on the 25th and adopts many of its customs like decoration and …show more content…
Happening around 200 B.C the Jews were allowed to continue their own religious practices under the new control of Judea also known as the Land of Israel. Judea son "Antiochus IV Epiphanes, proved less benevolent: Ancient sources recount that he outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods. In 168 B.C., his soldiers descended upon Jerusalem, massacring thousands of people and desecrating the city’s holy Second Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs within its sacred walls" ("Hanukkah", 1996-2012). Not being happy with the situation the Jews were placed in a rebellion broke out against the Seleucid monarchy and Antiochus led by a Jewish priest and his five sons. Syrians was soon ran out of Jerusalem and the cleansing of the Second Temple took place along with the rebuilding of the altar and lighting of the menorah, that represents "the gold candelabrum whose seven branches represented knowledge and creation and were meant to be kept burning every night" ("Hanukkah",
"Hanukkah"
Rel/134 World Religious Traditions 2
Jewish Holy Days "Jewish celebrations are not limited to life-cycle events. As do all religions, Judaism sets aside certain holidays and days of remembrance as holy days. These holy days are scheduled according to the Jewish calendar" ("Basic Judaism", 2011). Unlike other calendars that are based off of the earth's revolutions around the sun the Jewish is on a secular calendar meaning it is made up of moon cycles where each month begins with a new moon. " Jewish holidays fall each year on different dates according to the secular calendar, but on the same date according to the Jewish calendar. Generally speaking, however, Jewish holidays always fall in the same season …show more content…
" Hanukkah, which means "dedication" in Hebrew, begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar and usually falls in November or December. Often called the Festival of Lights, the holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games and gifts" ("Hanukkah", 1996-2012). Hanukkah can easily be looked at as one of the best known Jewish holiday not just for its religious significance, but for its proximity to Christmas because the eight day festival begins on the 25th and adopts many of its customs like decoration and …show more content…
Happening around 200 B.C the Jews were allowed to continue their own religious practices under the new control of Judea also known as the Land of Israel. Judea son "Antiochus IV Epiphanes, proved less benevolent: Ancient sources recount that he outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods. In 168 B.C., his soldiers descended upon Jerusalem, massacring thousands of people and desecrating the city’s holy Second Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs within its sacred walls" ("Hanukkah", 1996-2012). Not being happy with the situation the Jews were placed in a rebellion broke out against the Seleucid monarchy and Antiochus led by a Jewish priest and his five sons. Syrians was soon ran out of Jerusalem and the cleansing of the Second Temple took place along with the rebuilding of the altar and lighting of the menorah, that represents "the gold candelabrum whose seven branches represented knowledge and creation and were meant to be kept burning every night" ("Hanukkah",