The festival of Hannakah?

Question

Can anyone explain in short the meaning of festival hannakah.o work at a nursery school and want to celebrate this in the appropriate way, as well as celebrating christmas.. Also, can any other cultures explain exactly what they do this time of the year

Answer 1

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights or Festival of Rededication, is an eight day Jewish holiday that starts on the 25th day of Kislev, which may be in December, late November, or, while very rare in occasion, early January (as was the case for the Hannukkah of 2005–2006). The festival is observed in Jewish homes by the kindling of lights on each of the festival's eight nights, one on the first night, two on the second night and so on.

Answer 2

First, I want to commend you for your willingness to celebrate both in your classroom. From my Anglican perspective is very refreshing! Mutual respect comes by fully appreciating, rather than ignoring others' traditions.
While this may not give direct information you can use, you may appreciate it for the background information, explaining why hannakah is considered a great affair today...it is, I think from the Jewish-American perspective:
Sociological Significance
What were the consequences for Jews who embraced Christmas traditions? Starting in the 1950s, American Jewish sociologists conducted a number of studies. In his 1958 study of second-generation immigrant Reform Jews on Chicago's South Side, clinical psychologist and rabbi Milton Matz revealed that in the second generation parents often agreed that a Jewish child might need a Christmas tree to "hyphenate the contradiction between his Americanism and his Jewish ethnicism." Matz's study also demonstrated that members of the third generation were increasingly likely to recognize the inherent contradiction in adopting the religious symbols of another group; they would eventually give up the Christmas tree and find other ways of expressing their acculturation into American society.

Sure enough, in a 1993 study Stanford religious studies professor Arnold M. Eisen validated Matz's findings, demonstrating that the majority of American Jews no longer had Christmas trees. In 82 percent of entirely Jewish households, a Christmas tree had never been displayed. So too, sociologist Marshall Sklare's research in the 1950s and '60s on second- and third-generation Jews established that Hanukkah--formerly a "minor" Jewish holiday--had gained in importance when it became the Jewish alternative for Christmas. "Instead of alienating the Jews from general culture," wrote Sklare, "Hanukkah helps to situate him as a participant in that culture. Hanukkah, in short, becomes for some the Jewish Christmas." Ironically, by elevating Hanukkah as a Jewish alternative to Christmas, American Jews had invented their own holiday tradition through a Christmas mirror.
Charles "That Cheeky Lad"

Answer 3

The festival of Chanuca is to celibrate Both the victory of the maccabies over the forces of the Hellonists (anceint Greeks ) and also the Miricale that happened in the holy temple in Jerusalm when a small vial of ritual oil lasted 8 days instead of just 1 day. Apart from the extra prayers the main celibration these days is lighting 8 lights adding ! day at a time in a special lampholder (candles or olive oil) Its also a well established custom to eat oily food ,Like doughnuts and potato ludkers (sort of potato hash fried in oil ). Good luck with your party

Answer 4

In case the kids wonder why Jews celebrate for 8 days, here's the story:
Nearly 2,200 years ago, the Greek-Syrian ruler Antiochus IV tried to force Greek culture upon peoples in his territory. Jews in Judea—now Israel—were forbidden their most important religious practices as well as study of the Torah. Although vastly outnumbered, religious Jews in the region took up arms to protect their community and their religion. Led by Mattathias the Hasmonean, and later his son Judah the Maccabee, the rebel armies became known as the Maccabees.

After three years of fighting, in the year 3597, or about 165 B.C.E., the Maccabees victoriously reclaimed the temple on Jerusalem's Mount Moriah. Next they prepared the temple for rededication—in Hebrew, Hanukkah means “dedication.” In the temple they found only enough purified oil to kindle the temple light for a single day. But miraculously, the light continued to burn for eight days.

Answer 5

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=Hannukah

Answer 6

you bid room all