Feast of Lights

[ feest uhv lahyts ]

noun

1. Hanukkah.

Feast of Lights

noun

1. Judaism an English name for Hanukkah

More About Feast Of Lights

What is the Feast of Lights?

The Feast of Lights is another name for Hanukkah, an eight-day Jewish festival that commemorates the rededication of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century b.c.e. It usually occurs in December but can also happen in late November and can extend into January.

Hanukkah, which can also be spelled Chanukah, is commonly interpreted as meaning “a dedication” in Hebrew. Less commonly, the holiday is called the Feast of Dedication.

The name Feast of Lights is also not commonly used. Hanukkah is much more commonly referred to as the Festival of Lights. These names refer to the fact that it’s observed with the lighting of a multi-branched candelabrum called the menorah (or hanukiah or chanukiah). When it has nine candles, one of them is a “starter” (technically called the shammes) that’s used to light the other eight candles. One candle is lit on each subsequent evening of the celebration, until all are lit. Special prayers may be said during the lighting of each candle or at different times of each day.

The tradition of lighting the menorah during Hanukkah is done to commemorate the story of a miracle. According to the story, when the Temple was rededicated, its lamps burned miraculously for a week, even though there was not enough oil to fuel them.

The rededication of the Temple occurred after Judea was liberated from Syrian occupation by the Maccabees, a family of Jews led by Judas Maccabaeus. They defeated the Syrians under Antiochus IV around 165 b.c.e.

The timing of Hanukkah is based on the Jewish calendar and varies from year to year. It is celebrated on the 25th day of the month of Kislev to the 2nd of Tevet. This most often corresponds to an eight-day period in December.

Common ways of celebrating Hanukkah include giving gifts to children and loved ones, having family dinners, and eating special foods like latkes. Children sometimes play games with a traditional toy called a dreidel, a kind of four-sided top.

Example: We gather to light the menorah for the Feast of Lights—Hanukkah!

Where does Feast of Lights come from?

The name Feast of Lights has been used since at least the 1600s. Various spellings of the word Hanukkah have been used in English since around the same time. The word Hanukkah comes from the Hebrew word ḥănukkāh, which is thought to mean “a dedicating” or “a dedication.”

Hanukkah is thousands of years old, but it’s not one of the holidays mentioned in the canonical Jewish scriptures (the events it commemorates occurred after the writing of the Torah). Instead, it is based on rabbinic tradition. In the context of the Jewish religion, it is not considered one of the most important Jewish holy days. However, it is now celebrated by Jews all over the world, and it is especially popular among Jews in the United States. Hanukkah is also one of the most well-known Jewish holidays among people who are not Jewish, especially due to the fact that it often falls around the Christian holiday of Christmas, making it part of the “holiday season,” especially in the U.S.

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What are some synonyms for Feast of Lights?

• Festival of Lights
• Hanukkah
• Chanukah
• Feast of Dedication

What are some words that share a root or word element with Feast of Lights? 

• feast
• lights

What are some words that often get used in discussing Feast of Lights?

• Jewish
• holiday
• happy
• menorah
• dreidel
• Temple
• December
• latke

How is Feast of Lights used in real life?

Feast of Lights is another way of referring to Hanukkah, but it’s rarely used. The name Festival of Lights is much more common.

Happy last night of the Feast of Lights! May the warm glow of the Hanukkah menorah shine upon you now and in the new year. 🕎💜✡️ pic.twitter.com/Uu6JDgBurn

— Phyllis Stahler (@Phee949) December 31, 2016

Kiss your babies on this feast of lights!

Happy happy happy ḥănukkāh!!! pic.twitter.com/bi0by1YC1X

— somali rose🎭 (@somalirosek) December 13, 2017

 

Try using Feast of Lights!

True or False? 

The Feast of Lights always takes place on the same eight days in December.