Hanukkah: A Celebration Of Miracles, A Celebration Of Victory | iSavta
Hanukkah: A Celebration Of Miracles, A Celebration Of Victory
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ביטוח רפואי למטפלים זרים במחירים הנמוכים בארץ

שיתוף פעולה ייחודי המאפשר לכם לקבל את השירות המהיר והאיכותי ביותר, המחירים הנמוכים ביותר, בכל רחבי הארץ

While Christians around the world are gearing to celebrate Christmas, Jews, in Israel and beyond, are gearing to celebrate Hanukkah. 

Hanukkah is celebrated to commemorate the rededication of the Jewish Holy Temple during the time of the Maccabean Revolt in the Seleucid Empire of the 2nd Century BC. According to Jewish history, the Jews who revolted against their oppressors, led by Judas Maccabeus, discovered that all but one jar of olive oil used for burning in the Holy Temple had all been desecrated. The one jar of holy olive oil left, was good for burning on the Temple menorah for just one day. However, the light burned for seven days more, giving the priests time to make a new batch of holy burning oil. And this is why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days – to mark the time that one day’s worth of Temple oil stretched to eight. 

This is why Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights. And because it is a celebration of the rededication of the Temple after being regained from enemy armies, it is also called the “Feast of Dedication.”

That of the heroism of the pious widow Judith, is also a story central to Hanukkah. She informed the Jewish elders that she had a plan to defeat the Assyrians that were attacking her town: She plied their general, Holofernes, with cheese and wine, and after he got drunk, she beheaded him and secured the victory of the Jews. 

Celebrations are never complete without food, and Hanukkah is no exception. Because the spotlight of the celebration is the miracle of the burning oil, foods fried or baked in olive oil are on the centerpiece of the holiday. And because of Judith’s heroism, cheese and dairy products became a central part of the Hanukkah celebrations.

And like we said, celebrations are never complete without food, so we've listed the food that may be prepared and enjoyed during Hanukkah.

 

Hanukkah Staples: 

These are the most iconic dishes of Hanukkah. A Hanukkah celebration is never complete without these. 

Latke. The latke is possibly the most iconic Hanukkah dish. It is essentially potato patties, deep fried in olive oil. As we mentioned earlier, the heart of Hanukkah is the story of the miracle of the holy burning olive oil. This is why latkes, fried in olive oil is very symbolic, and a central part to the celebration.

Kugel. A kugel is a casserole dish made out of noodles, and packed with vegetables and savory ingredients such as cheese, matzah, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, potatoes, or spinach. Some kugels are sweet, and they may contain cinnamon, raisins, and sweet curd cheese. 

Loukoumades. Also known as “honey puffs,” these are deep-fried dough balls that may be covered in honey or sugar syrup. They are usually coated in powdered sugar, cinnamon, or even sesame seeds.

Hanukkah Gelt. These are pre-made chocolate coins that Jewish parents give to their children, to play dreidel with. This started out as a tradition in the 17th century, from the Polish Jews. In the original Polish tradition, the Hanukkah gelts were genuine gold coins that were given to children to give to their teachers as gifts. Eventually, American chocolatiers picked up the custom, and chocolate coins replaced the genuine gold coins. 

 

Main Courses: 

Lamb Dishes. You may know by now that the Jewish diet consists of “kosher” food, which includes meat from herbivores. Meats like lamb, mutton, meat from goat, and beef. Lamb dishes for important Jewish holidays like Hanukkah are usually roasted, but they may also be prepared as stews or casserole dishes. 

Beef Brisket Dishes. Savory beef brisket dishes are a holiday favorite in Jewish circles. Special Hanukkah recipes are available online, and Hanukkah is made more special with such delicious offerings.

Tongue Dishes. Tongue is a succulent meat that could be quite enjoyable, when prepared well. In Ashkenazi circles, there is a pickled tongue recipe that is a Hanukkah staple: Pickled Beef Tongue.

Fried Dough Foods:

Since Hanukkah revolves around olive oil and delicacies that can be prepared by deep-frying, latkes and loukoumades aren’t the only fried-dough dishes that can be found on the Hanukkah table. Here are the other deep-fried dough dishes that may be enjoyed during the Hanukkah celebration.

Sufganiyah. Sufganiyot are deep-fried doughnuts that have fillings in them. These fillings could be strawberry or other fruit preserves, and modern-day versions may include vanilla cream, chocolate cream, and even dulce de leche and cappuccino. Some sufganiyot are filled with araq, a liquor enjoyed in the region. These delights are so famous during Hanukkah, the popular sufganiyah makers in Israel race to produce “The Best Sufganiyah In Town.” 

Bimuelos. These are deep-fried dough balls that are very popular in Latin American countries, especially Mexico. Sephardic Jews have these as a staple on their Hanukkah table preparations. These are made of wheat-based dough, and served with syrup such as the Mexican piloncillo. Some have a sweet coating, such as anise caramel, and the fillings may differ between the countries the recipe is adapted from. Some are even made of curd white cheese and then rolled into balls. Bimuelos may be round, or they may be shaped into discs. Either way, Hanukkah is just sweeter with bimuelos on the table!

Hanukkah Zeppole. If you notice, most of the fried dough goodies served in Hanukkah are round, ball-shaped, or disc-shaped. The Hanukkah Zeppole is neither of these. They are usually irregularly shaped, and may contain fillings such as cheese or chocolate. Some recipes have the Hanukkah Zeppole drizzled in chocolate syrup, or rolled in sugar coating, or both. 

Baked Goods: 

Rugelach. The rugelach, or rogelach, rugalach, rugelakh, ruggalach, or rugulach, are crescent-shaped pastries that may remind you of the croissant. These could have fillings such as chocolate, raisins, fruit preserves, cinnamon, walnuts, or even marzipan and poppy seeds. It could be made with sour cream or cream cheese in the dough. These are enjoyed after a meat meal.

Challot. Challah is a braided bread that has symbolic meanings. Challot or challos may find themselves on the meal tables of many a Jewish holiday. It is also a staple on a Shabbat meal. Usually made with six strands and served in twos to represent the 12 tribes of Israel, it could also be made with three, five and seven strands. If chef is so skilled that he can create a 12-stranded Challah, that Challah is called a "Twelve Tribes" challah.

Hanukkah is a holiday celebrated to commemorate victories and miracles, and the food we prepare and enjoy on these days stands for the things most important to the victories won and the miracles witnessed centuries ago. 

Celebrate victories, miracles, and most importantly, life, love and family on these Hanukkah days. 

קבלו את הניוזלטר של הסבתא

השארו בקשר!