New Year And Hanukkah

Hanukah, the word Hebrew means devotion, it is celebrated for eight days during the Hebrew month of Kislev that generally occurs between the mid to end of December. Hanukah memorizes the effort made for religious freedom and celebrates the victory of the Jews over the Hellenistic Syrians in the year 165 B.C.E. New Year and Hanukkah have number of similarities among them. New Year and Hanukkah festival are both festival of lights, as the most important Hanukkah ritual is the candle lighting in a special candleholder called a `menorah` or a `hanukkiah.New Year and Hanukkah celebrations are noticeable all around the world but not at the same time because people in different parts of the world use different calendars.

Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of lights remembering the rededication of the Jerusalem temple. Hanukkah starts with the giving of gifts to all near and dear ones and the lighting of the menorah, with the commercialization of Christmas in the 20th century as a time to exchange gifts.

Hanukkah started to serve both, as a celebration of New Year and a December family gift-exchanging holiday that could function as a Jewish substitute to Christmas.

New Year and Hanukkah festive activities include different ideas like gathering with one's family and friends and spending time together. Major attractions of New Year and Hanukkah include bursting of firecrackers and arranging special dinner parties with dishes like potato pancakes, which are mouth-watering. So enjoy this double festivity of New Year and Hanukkah and participate in wonderful festive activities.