Hanukkah

Last Day of Hanukkah History

Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah, is a significant Jewish observance with profound historical and religious implications. Lasting eight days and nights, it commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C., following the Jewish people's victory over the Syrian Greeks. The Hanukkah Ends, marking the completion of this observance, carries deep symbolic recognition of Jewish resilience and commitment to faith. During this observance, the lighting of the Menorah, a nine-branched candelabrum, is a central feat symbolizing the miracle of the oil lamp that burned for eight days despite having only enough oil for one.

The ancient story of Hanukkah holds a universal resonance that transcends geographical boundaries, making it meaningful to diverse communities worldwide, including The Netherlands. Dutch Jews, like their counterparts globally, historically remember the triumphant Maccabean rebellion crucial to the Hanukkah story. Interestingly, Hanukkah's observance in the Netherlands also recognizes the Amsterdam Miracle. This event, occurring in 1945 towards the end of World War II, was when a Hanukkah lamp left by a Jewish family in their home was miraculously found still burning when the family returned after the liberation.

To mark the end of Hanukkah, Dutch Jews participate in various practices. The lighting of individual hanukkiahs, the prominent form of the Menorah, underscores the observance's festive atmosphere, with the eighth night marking Hanukkah Ends. Singing traditional songs such as "Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah" and participating in family games are also part of the Dutch Jewish experience of Hanukkah Ends. Depending on the schedule set by local communities, communal gatherings usually occur around the same date every year, dictated by the Hebrew calendar: the 25th of Kislev to the 2nd or 3rd of Tevet.

Facts about Hanukkah

• Hanukkah commemorates the cleansing and re-dedicating of the Temple in Jerusalem more than 2000 years ago. Syrian king Antiochus had ordered the Jews to abandon the Torah and worship Greek gods. In retaliation, Judas Maccabeus retook the temple in Jerusalem.
• On the final night of Hanukkah, the last candle of the menorah is lit. The lighting of the menorah serves as a reminder to those passing by of the miracle that occurred so long ago when the remaining bit of pure oil burned for eight nights.
• The "miracle of the oil lamp" refers to a legend where a one-day supply of oil miraculously burned for eight days.
• In the Netherlands, Hanukkah is celebrated by Dutch Jews who make up less than 1% of the total population. Many Dutch Jews trace their ancestry to Sephardic Jews who fled Spain and Portugal in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, as well as Ashkenazi Jews who arrived from Eastern Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries.
• During World War II, the majority of the Dutch Jewish population was deported and killed in Nazi concentration camps. Despite the danger, some Jewish families still celebrated Hanukkah in secret, such as lighting candles in hidden rooms or basements, as a symbol of hope and resistance.

In the News and Trending in Netherlands for Hanukkah

Top things to do in Netherlands for Last Day of Hanukkah

• Enjoy traditional fried foods like latkes, sufganiyot, or apple fritters.
• Visit the Jewish Cultural Quarter in Amsterdam, where you can explore various Jewish landmarks, such as the Jewish Historical Museum, the Portuguese Synagogue, and the National Holocaust Memorial.
• Try traditional Hanukkah foods like sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts) and latkes (potato pancakes) at local Jewish bakeries, restaurants, or community events.