What is Hanukkah, the Jewish winter festival?

Starting this Sunday, December 14, and lasting until next Monday, the 15th, the Jewish community will be celebrating one of the most important holidays of their religion: Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights or Luminaries.

Through this period of celebration, Jews commemorate the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, as well as the rebellion of the Maccabees against the Seleucid Empire. In fact, the translation of ‘Hanukkah’ from Hebrew to English is “rededication.”

You may also hear the festival referred to as Chanukah, although Hanukkah is considered the most widely used spelling.

How long does Hanukkah last?

The celebration of Hanukkah lasts eight days as it refers to the famous “miracle of light”, which is when the Jews, after recovering the Second Temple in Jerusalem, managed to light a candelabra for the Hebrew God with a vial of oil, which is enough to keep the flame lost for a single day. However, the fire prevailed for eight days, which was the period in which the Jews managed to produce more oil to keep the candlestick lit.

Because of this, the menorah - which is a candelabra with nine bases for candles - is one of the most representative symbols of Hanukkah, since the nine lights represent the eight days that it took the Jews to produce oil, while the extra candle is called “servant” or “shamash”.

Hanukkah 2025: How, when and in what order to light the menorah candles

During the first night of the celebration, two candles are lit: The candle in the center which is the “servant” and another candle on the right side. As the nights progress, an extra candle is added from right to left.

All candles should be lit during dusk. Before doing so, but after placing the candles, the person in charge of lighting must recite three blessings. During the first day blessings 1, 2 and 3 are recited; while on the rest of the days, only blessings 1 and 2 are recited.

Unlike placing candles, the lighting is done from left to right, in such a way that the newest candle will be the candle that is lit first. Likewise, it must be emphasized that the first candle to light will always be the “servant” since the fire of this will serve to light the rest, as mentioned, from left to right.

The Hanukkah miracle involved oil, and for that reason it is customary for those who celebrate to eat foods fried in oil - for example, latkes (potato fritters) garnished with applesauce or sour cream, and fried jelly-filled doughnuts, sufganya.

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