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Hanukkah: Russian Jews
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Hanukkah (HA-noo-ka) is a Jewish holiday that was first celebrated over 2000 years ago in Judea, now known as Israel. It is celebrated in late November or early December. The exact date is determined according to the Hebrew calendar. Hanukkah falls on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev. Hanukkah celebrates the victory of the Jewish people over King Antiochus Epiphanes, a pagan tyrant from Greece, who tried to destroy Judaism in 165 BC. It ... celebrates the rededication of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.
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Though unlike Passover, Hanukkah is not one of the thee main Jewish religious holidays, it has a long history as a central holiday in Jewish tradition. Hanukkah is discussed in the Talmud. It seems that according to one tradition (the followers of Shamai) the lamp should be lit with right lights on the first day, and the number of lights decreased each day, while according to the followers of Hillel, the lamp should be lit with one light on the first day, and the number increased on successive days. A variety of hanukkiyot (Hanukah lamps) from earliest times, like the one at left, testify to the continuity of the holiday celebrations. In ancient times, the holiday was not favored by the Pharisees, perhaps because of the Hellenizing (adoption of Hellenistic culture) tendencies of the Maccabee dynasty and the fact that it was a holiday celebrating a political and military victory.
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Long a favorite Hanukkah toy, the dreidel once had a serious purpose. When the Syrians forbid study of the Torah, Jews who studied in secret kept spinning tops—sivivons, or dreidels—on hand. This way, if they were found studying, they could quickly pretend that they had only been playing.
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Coinciding with the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, XM, the nation's leading satellite radio service with more than 7 million subscribers, will offer the first-ever national broadcast channel devoted exclusively to Jewish culture. "Radio Hanukkah" (XM 108), will feature a broad spectrum of Jewish music and conversation beginning Friday, December 15 (25th of Kislev) and running through December 23.
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After lighting the Hanukkah menorah, you can play this traditional Hanukkah game with your family. All members of the household, from toddlers to senior citizens, can play this simple and fun game together. Playing dreidel is the perfect fun way to celebrate the holiday, create family memories, and strengthen your children’s Jewish identities.
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Hanukkah gelt (Yiddish for "money") is often distributed to children to enhance their enjoyment of the holiday. The amount is usually in small coins, although grandparents or other relatives may give larger sums as an official Hanukkah gift. In Israel, Hanukkah gelt is known as dmei Hanukkah. Many Hasidic Rebbes distribute coins to those who visit them during Hanukkah. Hasidic Jews consider this to be an auspicious blessing from the Rebbe, and a segulah for success.
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