Hanukkah, Eight-day Festival, Begins at Sundown Dec. 4

Jews throughout Cape May County will join others around the globe to mark the beginning of Hanukkah at sundown Dec. 4.
Hanukkah, an eight-day observance, is the most widely celebrated American Jewish holiday, possibly because it is a fun, child-centered occasion, according to the Jewish Outreach Institute’s Web site.
It is celebrated with food, exchange of gifts, and the lighting of menorahs, or special Hanukkah candelabras, which have brightly colored candles. Unlike some other Jewish holidays, which require intense spiritual reflection or elaborate preparation, Hanukkah is easy to celebrate.
Some will place a menorah in their window. Others keep them in special places in the home.
Many Jewish holidays commemorate events invested with historical and religious meaning, and Hanukkah is no exception, according to the organization’s site.
Hanukkah means “rededication,” and it commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by foreign forces. The celebration also reaffirms the continuing struggle to live by God’s commandments and to lead Jewish lives.
The most important message of Hanukkah may be found in the name of the holiday itself: Dedication. When Jews have dedicated themselves, through faith and action, to the pursuit of high religious and human ideals, Judaism has been strong.
That imperative, to strengthen the Jewish religion and people, remains an important challenge at this season, in every generation.
Hanukkah begins every year on the 25th of the Hebrew month of “Kislev.” This year, the 25th of Kislev corresponds to the evening of Dec. 4.
The blessings of Hanukkah, according to Jewish Outreach Institute:
BLESSINGS
The Candles — The First Blessing
Praised are You,
Our God, Ruler of the universe,
Who made us holy through Your commandments
and commanded us
to kindle the Hannukah lights.
The Second Blessing
Praised are You,
Our God, Ruler of the universe,
Who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors
in those ancient days
at this season. The Third Blessing
Praised are You, Our God, Ruler of the universe, Who has given us life and sustained us and enabled us to reach this season.