Instead of bourbon the base of this recipe is cranberry ginger ale. To add the festive flavor toss in Maccabees also restored the Temple which the king had destroyed by removing the Greek idols rebuilding the space and cleaning it.Once the Temple had been rebuilt the Maccabees planned a grand ceremony rededicating the Temple to Judaism and to God — the word “hanukkah” comes from a Hebrew verb meaning “to dedicate.” After returning to the cleaned building however the Maccabees discovered that they only had enough oil to light the Temple’s menorah lamp for one day.
They were unsure when they’d be able to get more oil for the ceremony — traditionally Belize WhatsApp Number the menorah required a ritually blessed type of olive oil that took a week to prepare. But miraculously the oil they had on hand lasted for eight days and nights which was the length of time it took the Maccabees to replenish their oil supplies. Today’s Hanukkah traditions honor many elements of the miracles that took place in this original story.How Do People Celebrate Hanukkah Today?Photo Courtesy Drazen ZigiciStockAlthough its dates sometimes align with Christmas it’s important to remember that Hanukkah isn’t a Jewish version (or even equivalent) of that Christian festival; it’s its own holiday with its own important meaning to Jewish people.
Hanukkah was also traditionally one of the more minor observances in Judaism. But because it tends to fall around Christmastime (and even Thanksgiving in some years) it became a bit more commercialized especially in the United States.Although the Festival of Lights was typically a quieter observance and still is across much of the world it’s also a holiday filled with important symbolism and traditions that hearken back to many elements of the original Hanukkah story. During the holiday many Jewish people participate in these common Hanukkah customs.Lighting the MenorahThe menorah is the type of candelabra the Maccabees kept lit for eight days on one day’s worth of oil. To commemorate this element of the Hanukkah story Jewish people place small menorahs.