I am from Brazil and we do have lots of people jewish people there...also, we are a very tolerant country when it comes to race and faith... I had lots of jewish friends, but never heard about Hannuka.... Only heard about Yonk Pur (sp?) and some other big one... both are so big over there than there is no school on those days...
But, for sure, the first time ever I heard about Hannuka was when I spen my first X-mas here, in 2004.
Do different countries practice the faith differentely?
2006-12-16 16:29:57 · 18 answers · asked by Tony 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Hanukkah
Chanukah is actually a very minor holiday in the Jewish religion. It has gained prominence in America because of its proximity to Christmas. Chanukah, as traditionally, celebrated, has nothing to do with gifts and is a holiday primarily celebrated at home with family (by lighting an increasing number of candles each night for eight nights). It celebrates the triumph of Jewish rebels (called the Maccabees) against the Syrian king Antiochus in the second century BCE. The Jews were able to reclaim their Temple in Jerusalem and some of their religious freedoms.
Chanukah became a gift-giving holiday because of Christmas -- the commercialization of that holiday spread to Chanukah, which falls according to the Jewish calendar (and so varies every year) but is always close to Christmas and the winter solstice. Now some families do eight nights of gifts.
The two holidays to which you reference are Yom Kippur (the day of repentence) and Rosh Hashana (the new year). These are much more important days of observance.
2006-12-16 17:16:55 · answer #1 · answered by nesheekah 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
My mother grew up in Chile, and Dad in another country. Americans made Hanukkah become more like Christmas, perhaps because their children wanted the presents and attention that some other children received. Within the Jewish religion, it is not a very religious holiday, the Israelites won a battle over the Maccabees's. I grew up in a house that did not give gifts every night, and certainly no gifts to the adults!
Do not feel stupid about it, as Brazilians and most other country's Jews do not celebrate Hanukkah like in the US!
2006-12-16 17:30:04 · answer #2 · answered by Frid 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Chanukah is a minor festival, not even a real holiday. It has become bigger (and more commercial) due to its proximity to Christmas. Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, is the most solemn of Jewish holidays. If a Jew who is not terribly observant were to observe one holiday, that would be it. Because observance requires a 24 hour fast (not even water), as well as prayer, going to school or work would be particularly difficult.
Jews in differnt countries, and different regions, have differences in their observances as do all religious and ethnic groups. There are also different branches of Judaism as there are different branches of Christianity. Each branch observes things a bit differently.
2006-12-19 05:35:43 · answer #3 · answered by AlphaBeta 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, they don't. You never heard of it because there is school on that day. It is not a minor holiday, either. There is no such thing as a minor holiday in a religion. And no, people did not create it to compete with Christmas. It was made b4 Christmas. Also, Christmas is not really jesus b-day. A roman king declared that day as his b-day. This is everything u need to know. Hanukkah is more advertised here in America and in Israel. That is why u didn't hear of it.
2006-12-17 02:37:15 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It may be because Hanukka is only a minor Jewish holiday.
Yom Kippur and Rosh hashana are the big ones. Yom Kippur is a day of atonement, and Rosh hashana is the Jewish New Year (Jewish Calendar).
2006-12-16 19:01:12 · answer #5 · answered by fish_eating_dolphin 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
nesheekah, youre other answer about the history of channuka impressed me, but this answer is giving me doubts. how could you say that channuka is a "very minor holiday"? First of all in Judaism there is no such thing as a minor holiday. Second of all in the talmud it says that even when moshiach comes we will still continue to observe channuka. And the popularity of chanuka has nothing to do with x-mas. It just so happens to be that there is a unique aspect to chanuka which is called pirsumei nisa which translates to, publicizing the miracle and that is the reason why there are so many public menora lightings and that is also why part of the commandment is to have the menora facing the outside.
2006-12-16 18:28:55 · answer #6 · answered by warrior 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Whatever happened to just teaching academics as you said: reading, writing, math, trades, and such. Subjects that prepare a student to make a decent living. I agree that morals and ethics should be home taught. When schools take over the responsibilities of parents, they cross a line that isn't theirs to cross. Maybe the solution would be either homeschool our children or the school board should make those controversial subjects optional BEFORE the school year starts.
2016-05-23 01:22:40 · answer #7 · answered by Megan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
some only celebrate the God ordained feasts in the Bible- others recognize Hanukkah as a God ordained feast.
It was never meant to compete with or be a copy of Christmas- it is a completely different feast for a completey different reason- though one understanding that Christmas is a pagan celebration that has nothing to do with Jesus can see Jesus in the Hanukkah celebration and celebrate Jesus as the light of the world
2006-12-17 02:38:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Haunukah is a very minor holiday to the Jewish faith.
2006-12-16 18:03:04 · answer #9 · answered by shiny and late 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually, American Jews DO practice a little differently. Here is the US, Christmas is a highly commercialized holiday. Jewish children typically recieve gifts on a holiday called Purim, but it soon became popular for American Jews to give gifts at Hannukah so the children wont feel left out at Christmas time.
2006-12-16 16:40:32 · answer #10 · answered by Together 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋