Though often grouped together as winter holidays, Christmas and Hanukkah aren’t the same.
But let’s pause.
While Christmas is given massive cultural significance in America, this is not the case for Hanukkah.
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Were not just talking about the banks and schools closing or having the day off work.
Nationally and within American Jewish communities, Hanukkah just isnt as big of a deal.
Shaul Kelner, associate professor of Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt University, shares about Hanukkah with us.
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Read on to learn about the differences in these December holidays.
Shaul Kelneris an associate professor of Jewish Studies atVanderbilt University.
Significance Of Hanukkah
Religiously, Hanukkah isnt as weighty as Christmas.
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Christmas is a central holiday for Christians, religiously [as it celebrates the birth of Jesus].
Hanukkah is a minor holiday in the Jewish religious scheme of things, says Kelner.
It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem after the Maccabees desecrated it.
There was only enough oil to light the menorah for one night, but it lasted eight.
Hanukkah is not mentioned in the Jewish bible.
There is no time off work to celebrate this holiday, and going to the synagogue isn’t required.
The holiday is so un-set in stone that we cant even agree on how to spell it in English.
(Kelners favorite spelling is “Chanukah.")
It’s also a federal holiday with time off work.
Both Christians and non-Christians celebrate Christmas in this way.
For Jews, Hanukkah is not really the holiday season.
The holiday season is September and October [when the High Holidays are celebrated], Kelner says.
Hanukkah is one of a dozen Jewish holidays.
It just happens to be the one thats right next to Christmas, and its prominent because of that.
Expanding on those calendar coincidences also brings more visibility and festivity to the Jewish winter holiday.
Christmas has gifts, tree decorating, carols, red and green adornments, and holiday lights.
From the bottom up, the holiday became really important because its something that the peoplechoseto celebrate.
Its a first amendment holiday in a sense, says Kelner.
American Jews have tended to present it as a holiday celebrating religious freedom.
Hanukkah is a holiday about the history of Jews as a group.
Jews fought back and recaptured the temple and rededicated the temple to God, securing their religious freedom.
Holiday Similarities
While the holidays have different traditions, there are some similarities to note.
They fall during the holiday season between November and December.
And both promote messages of goodwill.
This is certainly an easy way of bringing people together, in any case.
No matter which holiday you are celebrating this seasonChristmas, Hanukkah, or otherwisewe wish you the best one.
