This is the Forward’s coverage of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
Hanukkah
The Latest
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Community The joy of Hanukkah gift giving — even during a pandemic
There is often confusion among Jews around the globe about why, when and how the tradition of Hanukkah gift-giving originated. Has exchanging gifts with loved ones and friends always been a part of the tradition? Why do we do it? There is nothing in religious texts nor the original retellings of the Maccabees that specifically…
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Fast Forward At final White House Hanukkah party, Trump talks up ‘four more years’
WASHINGTON (JTA) — To cries of “four more years,” President Donald Trump told guests at a White House Hanukkah Party that he could stay in office “if certain people have wisdom and courage.” Trump lost the Nov. 3 election to Joe Biden, resoundingly, and Biden is preparing to assume office on Jan. 20. But Trump…
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Community Hanukkah – This year… and next
Hanukkah begins on Thursday night…and not a minute too soon. At noon on Tuesday, every cellphone in Southern California buzzed with an emergency alert from the state office of emergency services: “New public health stay at home order in your area. COVID-19 is spreading rapidly. Stay home except for essential activity. Wear a mask. Keep…
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Community On Hanukkah, what story are you telling?
The popularized story of Hanukkah may be little more than a story. And yet, as we all know, some stories hold greater power than others. A mythologized telling of Avram smashing his father’s idols lends greater weight to his righteousness and showcases his pining for a transcendent sense of faith. A mega-fish swallowing Jonah whole…
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Life Memo to The New York Times: Hanukkah, like Judaism, is about bucking tradition
“I am not Jewish and it doesn’t feel authentic to celebrate a Jewish holiday religiously,” read a recent New York Times article titled “Saying Goodbye to Hanukkah.” Jewish Twitter took offense, half railing against the author’s interfaith background and the dangers of assimilation, and the other half upset that a woman who does not consider…
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Food 8 Hanukkah-themed cocktails — and one perfect biscuit — to light up the nights
There's a boozy Hanukkah concoction out there for everyone
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Culture The 8 least essential Hanukkah gifts
Hanukkah will begin on sundown Dec. 10, and even mid-pandemic, many will light the lights, fry the oil, dabble in some low-stakes gambling and, yes, give gifts. Gift guides are always tricky. They ultimately come down to the tastes of the writer, not the gift buyer or receiver. And while there are a number of…
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Community For Central Europe’s Jews, Hanukkah is a way of life
For some Jews, “from generation to generation” is the most exhausted expression in Jewish life. Pointing to some endless chain of faceless ancestors passing on traditions like lighting the Menorah is stale routine and taken for granted. Some Jews wish they were that lucky. Indeed, some of us are the first and second generation of…
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