[VemyhemiHef]

Hanukkah, la Fête des Lumières, begins this evening. This eight-day Jewish Holiday, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrates survival, freedom and the triumph of light over darkness.

[markbila]

Chag Sameach!

--Nat

[LSDDSL]

Happy Hanukkah!

[Assauraarguck]

spell Chanukkah differently. I was instructed as a child that the festival was a time for renewing friendship, forgiving wrongs and reconciling with those one may have
treated unfairly in the past and settling debts of many kinds. Of course, for us, surviving is quite an accomplishment as a people and should be celebrated.

I lit my first candle at sundown.

[PilotJargon]

Yes, Happy Hanukkah!
As abax expounded -- admirable aspirations that all of us can embrace.
JC

[ZanazaKar]

Happy Hanukkah!

[VemyhemiHef]

There will be two candles to light this evening, set apart from the shamash (attendant) candle.

I've amended my first post above with a musical selection on YouTube for those of you who may be interested. This, by the way, is really my favorite holiday of the year, and it's not just because I love latkes and beef brisket or that I'm drawn to a candle flame like a moth.

[occallExtet]

What is represented by these eight candles? The eight is also a symbol for eternitiy, are there other aspects?
Christs celebrate at the thame time the ´Advent´, the 4 Sundays before Christmas, every sunday one more candle.
The 4 and the 8, what is the difference and what is the same? 2x2=4
2x2x2=8. Any ideas?

[LSDDSL]

I think it's 9 candles on a menorah, a central one and 8 branches.

[maxtp]

eight for the eight nights the oil burned
{all but one vial of oil to be burned in the eternal light was destroyed along with the temple when it was destroyed (the first time?). they found one vial in the ruins. it should have lasted one day but the miracle of hanukah is that it burned eight days, as long as it took to make more (i think)}


nine candles.
eight for the eight days and one to light 'em

[eEwbYjOH]

Happy Hanukkah! We're keeping it low key, just candles and all, until Saturday when the (almost) whole family comes over...then we'll do the presents and latkes and brisket and too much fat in the diet...but, I will accompany it with too much red wine!

[Assauraarguck]

Lanmark, it's my favorite holiday too. Xmas is loud and
consumer dominated and reports on retail sales. I like the quiet celebration of Chanukkah with family and really gooood food. I even baked Challah today...delicious!

[VemyhemiHef]

We light the third candle this evening. There's something very peaceful and reassuring in carrying out these ancient rituals and traditions, knowing that millions of others around the world are doing the same.



Quote:

[occallExtet]

Thanks, now I understand the miracle of the eternal light, it burned for 8 days and the 8 is the symbol for eternity too.
I wish all of you, who are celebrating these 8 days, peace, friendship, forgiveness and all the best for your families...and some flowering orchids too..
Best regards, Gina

[Assauraarguck]

ask members of the tribe for their historical background?
I've been interested for years in how and where we all came from originally. It does make a bit of difference in
how we spell/pronounce names of holidays, etc.

I'm from a Sephardic background of Levi-Nathans who
came here from Spain in the mid-to-late 1500s to escape
the Inquisition. By and large, Sephardic Jews originated
in North Africa, probably Alexandria, Egypt where there
was a large population of Jewish citizens in the Ptolemaic
period. Anyone else like to contribute to my inquiry?

[Assauraarguck]

Loooove the Hanukkats! Persians always look pissed off
to me.

[VemyhemiHef]

Quote:

[VemyhemiHef]

We'll light four candles today, making a point to do so before sundown using slightly larger candles because Shabbat begins at sundown.



I'm pleased that the winter solstice is behind us now. The daylengths are once again increasing.

[eEwbYjOH]

I'm Ashkenazi.........my father was a Galitzianer (now Poland, but my father always claimed Austria, as it belonged to Austria when he was born), my mother was from Odessa. Both families moved to Germany after WW1, because (at the time) it was the safest place for Jews in Europe...well, so much for that idea. Long stories about their histories! But there is a "Jewish Y-chromosome" that is very distinct....found in most Jews, both Ashkenazi and Sepahrdic. Interestingly enough, there was a tribe in Southern Africa (not sure which country) that claimed to be Jewish. That was always disputed...until they were tested. Apparently, they do have the Jewish Y! Interestingly, according to my youngest son, the Bedouins also have that Y chromosome.

[Assauraarguck]

a Talmud scholar in NY who was making the group a new
Tora because the copy they had at the time of their discovery in China was literally falling apart due to age
and usage over many generations.

Thank you for telling me your stories and I dearly hope to
have more responses. Our history is a very long and interesting one on so many levels.