When is Hanukkah this year? Happy Holidays!

[usregimechange]

Did I just offend DU Christians? No because you aren't insecure.

[Behind the Aegis]

1. Dec. 25 at sundown.

[usregimechange]

3. Neat. Best wishes.

[Radio_Lady]

4. Oh, what a nice Star of David!

[Behind the Aegis]

13. Thanks! It is one of the offered avatars here.

[usregimechange]

5. Is it on the 25th every year?

[Radio_Lady]

6. The holiday follows a completely different calendar.

It usually occurs in December, but can occur in November.

[Radio_Lady]

9. I found out some things I didn't know at the Wikipedia link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah

Hanukkah (חנכה ḥănukkāh, or חנוכה ḥănūkkāh) is a Jewish holiday, also known as the Festival of lights. Hanukkah is a Hebrew word meaning "dedication". (It also has other spellings in English, such as Chanukah, Hannukah, Hanukah, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Hanuka, Channukah, Hanukka, Hanaka, Haneka, Hanika and Khanukkah.)

Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, and the holiday is celebrated for eight days. Since in Jewish tradition the Hebrew calendar date starts at sunset, the first evening of Hanukkah starts after the sunset of the 24th of Kislev. This is usually the evening before the date shown for the first day of Hanukkah on the Gregorian calendars that include it. The start of Hanukkah usually falls in December but occasionally is in late November.

Hanukkah gained increased importance with many Jewish families in twentieth century America, including large numbers of secular Jews who do not celebrate other key holy days, such as Sukkot, yet wanted a Jewish alternative to the intense Christmas celebrations that often overlap with Hanukkah.

(More at link)

[usregimechange]

11. But it happens from time to time or is it rare to be on the 25th?

[Behind the Aegis]

12. time to time...but rare.

I am 36, and I can't remember another time where it started the same day as Christmas. It has 'over-lapped' Christmas. The earliest I remember it happening was the day after Thanksgiving one year (that made shopping easier because there is never a Hanukkah rush...plus we have 8 days, so we can fart around if need be. :))

[Behind the Aegis]

10. No. Our calendar is based on the lunar cycles.

This is why it appears our holidays 'rotate.' They do not. Hanukkah is always on the 25th of Kislev.

[usregimechange]

14. Interesting.

[question everything]

23. Both the Jewish and the Muslim calendars are lunar ones

meaning they are 11 days shorter than the solar Januray - December one.

The Jewish year adds a whole month - a leap year - every two or three years, not sure - usually by the end of the winter so that Passover will alway fall in the spring. But it could be as early as the end of March and as late as the end of April. Once this extra month is added, all the Jewish holidays will fall later. Hanukkah can fall as early ad the end of November to as late as the end of December - like this year. Next year it will be 11 days earlier - December 14, I would think.

The Muslim calendar is not adjusted and the Muslim holidays, like the month of Ramadan, can fall anytime during the year.

[sakabatou]

15. Wow... that's pretty late

Not suprisingly, the other holidays were late this year as well. Can't do anything about the lunar cycle tough.

[Radio_Lady]

2. Hanukkah begins at sunset on Christmas day, December 25!

How VERY ecumenical! I don't think this happens too often!

Wishing you a happy, healthy, hearty holiday season.

In peace,

Radio_Lady

[Behind the Aegis]

8. Actually...

...this year a Catholic holiday (I can't remember which one), a Jewish holiday (Rosh HaShana, New Year's) and a Muslim holiday (Ramadan) all coincided on one day. I had hoped it might be a nice cosmic sign of the three most similar religions coming together. Alas, it didn't happen. :cry:

[Maat]

7. Happy Hanukkah!

Happy Holidays to all!

Let's have a great 2006!

[Behind the Aegis]

16. Happy Holidays

Which ever ones you may celebrate, may they be filled with love and joy!

[Maat]

17. Thanks.

That's the beauty of my belief-system/faith (Religious Science) - we're universalists, who honor all paths, and we CELEBRATE THEM ALL!

We even celebrated Winter Solstice today!

We're going to read about Hanukkah (sp?) tomorrow!

[Behind the Aegis]

20. (smile)

I have to explore more about your belief system (you have links?).

I missed today's celebration (sometimes, I am a bad pagan Jew).

As for the spelling...ever wondered why it has a few different spellings? There is no letter in English for the first letter of the word "Hanukkah." The first letter in the Hebrew spelling has the "ch" sound similar to the German "Bach" or the Scottish "loch." In linguistic translations, that sound is represented by an "H" with a single dot underneath it. Since we do not have that in English, two variations have evolved..."Hanukkah" and "Chanukah." The double or single "k" is only to signify the length of that sound, but is really irrelevant (unless another linguist reading this, has another opinion).

Edit: Spell check rocks...when is grammar check being added?!

[Maat]

21. "A bad Pagan Jew.!" Whew.

Hello, Pagan Friend!

Cool! Another DU friend that mixes spiritualities a bit!

I hope you had a Merry Solstice! We did!

Both the UU (Unitarian-Universalist) church, that I'm a Friend of, and my Religious Science church allow and encourage exploration of other spiritualities - honoring all paths:

www.rsintl.org and www.religiousscience.org (two adm. bodies - the same philosophy), and www.uua.org .

Have a great holiday season and Happy New Year!

:toast:

[Bluebear]

18. Best Chanukah wishes!!! Check out this groovy menorah!

http://www.lynnraelowe.com/mall/FestivalOfLights_Menorah.asp

[Behind the Aegis]

19. THAT IS AWESOME!!!

I LOVE IT!!! If I had that kind of money to toss about, I would SO own that!

[Maat]

22. That is breathtaking!

Thanks for the post!

[Gregorian]

24. That is so cool.

You're right. I'm not offended.

Thanks! I find your trust really comforting.