12/17/2025
Happy Hanukkah! 🕎
This week marks the beginning of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. While most families in the United States have heard of this holiday, many of you may not be very familiar with its historical background or significance. Today, let’s take a closer look at this important Jewish festival that holds a notable place in American society.
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a traditional Jewish holiday. It begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev and lasts for eight days. Hanukkah symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, as well as faith and hope. In 2025, it runs from the evening of December 14th to the night of December 22nd.
More than 2,000 years ago, the Jewish people reclaimed Jerusalem from Antiochus IV, the king of the Seleucid Empire, and rededicated the Second Temple to God. When they regained the Temple, there was only enough sacred oil to keep the menorah lit for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days—long enough for new oil to be prepared. This miracle is the origin of Hanukkah.
Common Hanukkah celebrations include:
- Lighting the menorah (or Hanukkiah), a special nine-branched candelabrum
- Eating traditional oil-fried foods, such as potato pancakes (latkes) and jelly-filled doughnuts (sufganiyot)
- Children playing games with dreidels, receiving gifts, and gather with families in a joyful, festive atmosphere
Although Hanukkah is not as religiously significant as the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) or Passover, its timing near Christmas, along with the multicultural nature of American society, has made it a highly visible and recognized holiday in the United States. It is often introduced in public elementary school classrooms as part of cultural education.
Jewish Americans make up only about 2% of the U.S. population, yet they are widely represented among highly educated and high-income groups. Combined with strong community networks, they have played influential roles across many sectors of American society. Notable Jewish celebrities include Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, prestigious film director Steven Spielberg, and Academy Award–winning actress Natalie Portman, among many others.
Finally, let’s take a moment to enjoy some brilliant illustrations inspired by Hanukkah, created by several outstanding contemporary artists:
Barbara McClintock: When Mindy Saved Hanukkah
https://www.rmichelson.com/illustration/barbara-mcclintock/when-mindy-saved-hanukkah/
Karla Gudeon: Hanukkah Haiku
https://www.rmichelson.com/illustration/karla-gudeon/hanukkah-haiku/
Mordicai Gerstein:How They Play Dreidel in Chelm
https://www.rmichelson.com/illustration/mordicai-gerstein/the-jar-of-fools/tjof-how-they-play-dreidel-in-chelm-10_25x9/
Trina Schart Hyman:Broken Window
https://www.rmichelson.com/illustration/trina-schart-hyman/hershel-and-the-hanukkah-goblins/hathg-broken-window-11_5x8_5/
Matthew Cordell:Hanukkah Time for Cornbread and Poppy
https://www.rmichelson.com/illustration/matthew-cordell/cornbread-and-poppy/hanukkah-time-for-cornbread-and-poppy-5x5-2/
(Image source: R. Michelson Galleries)