How Do You Spell Hanukkah / Chanukah?

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By The Scribe November 28, 2018

8 crazy nights of candles, fried food, and celebrating miracles.

It’s the Jewish festival of lights, Hanukkah.

Or is it Chanukah?

In Hebrew, there’s no room for debate: The word, חנוכה, pronounced with the same first guttural sound as “challah,” is always spelled the same way. But in English, there’s more wiggle room.

The Associated Press (as well as the Forward, the Jerusalem Post, Tablet Magazine and the Jewish Telegraphic Association) opts for “Hanukkah,” while Chabad uses “Chanukah,” and a 2017 Manischewitz poll found that most Jewish Americans surveyed use this spelling, too.

So what do you think? How do you spell the holiday in English?

✡️??️?️?️?️?️?️?️?️?✡️

It’s that time of year again.

How do you spell the Jewish festival of lights?

— Laura E. Adkins (@Laura_E_Adkins) November 28, 2018

Have more to say or your own Hanukkah story to submit? Email us.

Musings and findings from the editors of Scribe, the Forward’s curated contributor network.

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