Faith Matters: Hanukkah
By: Tania Francois, KARK 4 News (Faith Matters Reporter)
Updated: January 30, 2012
While many Christians are celebrating Christmas, there is another religious celebration that starts Tuesday.
Hanukkah is celebrated by Jews around the world and right here in Arkansas.
It has nothing to do with Christmas, it's just celebrated around the same time.
Known as the Festival of Lights, it's to remember another miracle which dates back thousands of years.
Rabbi Kalman Winnick is over the Congregation Agudath Achim.
"To this day we remember the miracle of the oil as well as the miracle of the few defeating the mighty, as well as the miracle of people caring enough about their faith to struggle for it," he says.
Hanukkah began after a war between the Jewish people and the Greeks.
The small Jewish army won but not after their temple was defiled, leaving just a small can of oil that also miraculously provided eight days of light.
Rabbi Winnick says, 'It adds light to our lives during the darkest part of our lives.'
There are few similarities between Christmas and Hanukkah.
For eight nights, a Menorah is lit, blessings are sung in Hebrew and gifts are exchanged, then dreidle other games are played.
William Cohen attends Congregation Agudath Achim. "Rabbi teaches me all the blessings. We learn all of that. They are really basic blessings but they are fun to learn.'
Bryanna Griffin is also a student. 'We light the menorah, eat out, play dreidle, open presents and play the Hanukkah games that you got from presents.'
There's also a lesson which is to help those in need. Rabbi Winnick says, 'It's important I believe for all of us to benefit from the warmth of the light, from the warmth of giving of charity to one another of within our faith group and beyond our faith group.'
Bryanna says, 'It's a special holiday for Jewish people.'
Jews say because their faith matters, they want other people to remember the other celebration happening this time of year.
Rabbi Winnick says, 'It's important to know that there are multiple faith groups and each of them have the way that they celebrate. Each in their own season.'
William adds, 'I'm different from everyone else. We're not all the same religion. I come here instead of to church. I pray in Hebrew and not in English. It's just different to me and I understand it a lot better."
Hanukkah also means dedication you can divide it into Hanu which means they rested and kkah which is the number 25. It's celebrated on the 25th day of Kislev which is a month on the Jewish calendar. That's the day the war against the Greeks ended.
Hanukkah is celebrated by Jews around the world and right here in Arkansas.
It has nothing to do with Christmas, it's just celebrated around the same time.
Known as the Festival of Lights, it's to remember another miracle which dates back thousands of years.
Rabbi Kalman Winnick is over the Congregation Agudath Achim.
"To this day we remember the miracle of the oil as well as the miracle of the few defeating the mighty, as well as the miracle of people caring enough about their faith to struggle for it," he says.
Hanukkah began after a war between the Jewish people and the Greeks.
The small Jewish army won but not after their temple was defiled, leaving just a small can of oil that also miraculously provided eight days of light.
Rabbi Winnick says, 'It adds light to our lives during the darkest part of our lives.'
There are few similarities between Christmas and Hanukkah.
For eight nights, a Menorah is lit, blessings are sung in Hebrew and gifts are exchanged, then dreidle other games are played.
William Cohen attends Congregation Agudath Achim. "Rabbi teaches me all the blessings. We learn all of that. They are really basic blessings but they are fun to learn.'
Bryanna Griffin is also a student. 'We light the menorah, eat out, play dreidle, open presents and play the Hanukkah games that you got from presents.'
There's also a lesson which is to help those in need. Rabbi Winnick says, 'It's important I believe for all of us to benefit from the warmth of the light, from the warmth of giving of charity to one another of within our faith group and beyond our faith group.'
Bryanna says, 'It's a special holiday for Jewish people.'
Jews say because their faith matters, they want other people to remember the other celebration happening this time of year.
Rabbi Winnick says, 'It's important to know that there are multiple faith groups and each of them have the way that they celebrate. Each in their own season.'
William adds, 'I'm different from everyone else. We're not all the same religion. I come here instead of to church. I pray in Hebrew and not in English. It's just different to me and I understand it a lot better."
Hanukkah also means dedication you can divide it into Hanu which means they rested and kkah which is the number 25. It's celebrated on the 25th day of Kislev which is a month on the Jewish calendar. That's the day the war against the Greeks ended.
