Holidays

Reprinted from Celebrate! The Complete Jewish Holiday Handbook by Lesli Koppelman Ross, this article summarizes the story of Hannukah from the 2nd century BCE, including both the Maccabean revolt against the Syrian Greeks and the miracle of the oil. The article was shared on My Jewish Learning together

Along with a minute long video introducing the Maccabees role in the Hanukkah story, this thought-provoking article by Michele Alperin presents the celebrated Jewish heroes as multi-layered historical figures who acted as both national liberators and violent religious zealots. Referring to the First and Second

This minute long introductory video presents a brief overview of the origins, significance and customs of Hannukah. This video is provided by Parsha in 60 Seconds, a YouTube Channel which creates and distributes short, accessible videos about Jewish holidays and the Torah portion of the week. 

This short video (0:40) from My Jewish Learning, briefly explains the historical reasons behind the custom of playing dreidel – a gambling game with spinning tops – on the holiday of Hannukah. To learn more about the secular origins of this game and how it became part

Produced by Jewish Educational Media, the multimedia archive of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, this inspiring video (07:43) encourages viewers to appreciate the everyday miracles of nature, technology and history. The video emphasizes God’s hand in Jewish history, from the Hanukkah story through the military victory

This informative video (02:24) explores the significance of the menorah as the eternal symbol of the Jewish nation throughout history, from the Biblical commandment to create a menorah after the Exodus from Egypt and the ritual lighting of the menorah in the Temple, to the story of

This post contains a series of eight thoughtful, one-minute-long, animated videos exploring various Hannukah themes from a psychological, relationship-focused perspective. The first video, featured above, discusses the centrality of family cohesion and home life in Jewish tradition and Hannukah celebrations. The rest of the videos, featured below, discuss taking vs.

Produced by the Jewish Women’s Archive, this informative video (02:24) emphasizes the feminist Jewish history angle of the Hannukah story, briefly telling the story of the Book of Judith, where a brave young widow challenged her community to keep their faith and fought against the Assyrian

In this inspiring video (02:20), Rabbi Yitzchak Botton explains that Hannukah is not the commemoration of a one-time historical event, but rather the opportunity to tap into a revelation of divine light that reoccurs each year during this time, giving us the strength to overcome

In this interesting video (03:36), Rabbi Judith Hauptman explores the Talmudic references to Hannukah, suggesting that the significance of the minor Jewish holiday has always been aggrandized due to its proximity to other non-Jewish wintertime Festivals of Light. The feminist Talmudic scholar and professor at the

In this short video (01:15), Joshua Mallett clearly explains the difference between the 7-branched menorah lit in the ancient Temple and the 9-branched channukiah lit on Hannukah. Reviewing the biblical origins of the menorah and the Hannukah story, Mallet clarifies the differences between the two candelabras

In this moving video (03:53), Rabbi Yaakov Cohen attributes the miraculous spiritual and physical survival of the Jewish people throughout history to the eternal commitment to the Torah, symbolized by the menorah. He tells how a Jewish journalist discovered this secret of the Jews’ immortality on a journey

This post contains a series of eight 2-3 minute-long, thought-provoking videos in which Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the previous Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, explores various Hannukah themes. The first video, featured above, discusses the power of faith to change the world. The rest of the videos, featured below,

In this short informative video (01:55), Ben Shapiro provides a quick historical overview of the history of Hannukah, emphasizing the political dynamics within the Jewish community, as well as between the Jewish and Seleucid leadership. He suggests modern lessons that we can learn today from this

Produced by Speakaboos, an educational company promoting children’s literacy, this short animated video (02:15) presents the Hannukah story and the historical origins of the holiday. Although the video was created for children, it is a useful resource for anyone looking for a quick and clear summary

In this humorous, informal video (05:58), actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik presents a short true or false quiz to clear up some misconceptions about the Jewish holiday of Hannukah. Bialik explains the basic historical origins, themes, religious rituals, and traditional foods of Hannukah and, through a comparison with Christmas,  emphasizes

Produced by the American TV Network, History, this introductory video (03:50) presents the historical origins and modern customs of Hannukah, the Jewish festival of lights. 

This short animated video (03:51) presents an excellent overview of the origins, significance and customs of Hannukah, the Jewish festival of lights. Useful for people of all ages and backgrounds, it focuses on how people can find personal spiritual meaning in this holiday. This video was produced by BimBam, which creates and