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Articles on Hanukkah

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Candles on a large Hanukkah menorah shine in front of a Christmas tree at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, in 2015. Gregor Fischer/picture alliance via Getty Images

Hanukkah celebrations have changed dramatically − but the same is true of Christmas

Assimilation no doubt played a role in making Hanukkah the commercialized holiday it is today. But other factors shaped the modern festival, too, a scholar of Jewish studies and gender explains.
A Jewish woman lights a candle for the festival of Hanukkah at the Western Wall Plaza in Jerusalem. Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images

This Hanukkah, learn about the holiday’s forgotten heroes: Women

The Jewish festival of Hanukkah, which in 2022 begins on the evening of Dec. 18, focuses on the story of the male Maccabees. But women are also heroes in histories from that era, including Judith and Hannah.
President Donald Trump speaks during a Hanukkah reception at the White House in 2019. AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

How Hanukkah came to be an annual White House celebration

For much of American history, the only December holiday to be recognized in the White House was Christmas, but menorah lightings are now an annual tradition.
In the United States, Hanukkah has gained much significance. Tercer Ojo Photography/Shutterstock.com

How Hanukkah came to America

Hanukkah is ranked one of Judaism’s minor festivals, but its popularity in the US has a lot to do with America’s Jews trying to fight assimilation into a culture that welcomed them.
Kwanzaa celebrations. Black Hour

What Kwanzaa means for Black Americans

For the African-American community, Kwanzaa is not just any “Black holiday. ” It is a recognition that knowledge of Black history is worthwhile.
Pious drinking. Walter Dendy Sadler via Wikimedia Commons

Feeling guilty about drinking? Well, ask the saints

For those wondering whether it is sinful to drink, even moderately, a scholar goes into the history of alcohol and its distillation to show how early monks and priests contributed to it.

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