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Brief Printable Version
 | Who lights the Menorah, when and how? What are the Chanukah prayers and traditions? This brief Chanukah tutorial will allow you to breeze through the Chanukah menorah lighting ceremony.
66 Comments Posted
Thanks for the information on your web site. I am not Jewish, but my son's class is discussing Hanukkah this year and he is very interested in the history and the traditions. This info is very helpful to me.
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Having no Jewish background, and no one who has ever had discussions about Jewish life, I am grateful to have a place to learn. Little by little. Thank you.
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Thanks so much for the wonderful refresher course for the rituals of Chanukah.
Although having been a Yeshiva "bucher", a lot of the feeling and tradition seems to slip away during the long year between the celebration of Chanukahs. The public schoos are teaching Chanukah to non-Jews, but nothing can replace the decades-old feeling of celebrating the holiday with family and friends
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I was very impressed with all information
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What an awesome and beautiful, useful site you have.
I was browsing for more understanding about Chanukah, and I got so much from your site. I am not jewish. In fact, I am black, and I found your site warm, inviting, exciting and uplifting.
Thank you for sharing this with others, and the Very Best Chanukah Season to you and yours!
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Thank you so much for all your wonderful information and the eternal light you bring to those of us who need your ongoing support. I am grateful for my Chabad in Brandon and for Rabbi Rubashkin and his family.
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It would be helpful to know whether tefillin are worn during Chanukah, and if so whether they are removed before Hallel.
Chabad has been very good to us in Japan; many thanks for everything!
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Well, folks, I AM a Jew and am delighted you've found such riches here. I am contiunually astounded by the Chabadniks' prodigious work...
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It is always nice to have a reliable source of information available. Although we know the rituals it is good to review them so as to not make a mistake.
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Amazing site! Extremely helpful!
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I am Catholic, but have a boyfriend who is Jewish, and this being a religious holiday for the both of us, and myself not knowing much (if nothing) about Judaism, I was very interested in learning about the traditions and background of Hanukkah to better understand the importance of this time to him. I found your site welcoming to all faiths and very informational. Thank you so much!!
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this is my first time to celebrate Hannakkuh. I am not sure I did it right but I wanted to participate in this special event. May you be blessed.
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I love your website. May you all go from strength to strength in bringing Yiddishkeit to Kol Yisrael. There is nothing comparable to the ruach of Chabad, and the Shoreline Chabad is exemplary.
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I am gathering information for my job. I chair the cultural diversity committee at a male juvenile correctional facility. After having lived in atl for 20 years, i am excited and priviledged to help offer cultural education to the youth , many of whom have never traveled from thier county until being sent to the facility. We are a small rural community and many people working with the youth have not traveled outside the community. So this information is tremendously powerful. Thank you for this education opportunity.
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I have grown up with only limited knowledge of the beliefs and traditions of of Judiasm. However I was always told by my mother of another way of life that she had incorporated into her life as a child from relatives on her side of the family. Traditions that were as beautiful as the meaning behind them. She would say it with a wistfulness that held my heart still.
Now in midlife - I have a desire to search into her and my past. Thank you for giving a novice a place to seek out just a bit of knowledge that is understandable.
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I wish you and yours many blessings and success. I have been involved with various Chabad activities over the years, and have always been impressed, thrilled, and have taken away lots of knowledge about Yiddishkeit. G-d bless you all !!
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Thank you for this very informative site. I am want to know more about Judaism and its practices. Your site has been especially helpful in its thoroughness and attention to detail.
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As a Christian, I believe Christmas is too commercialized and not even about God any more. I am forgoing the tree and incorporating lights as you do to honor God during this season. Thanks for the info.
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I fell in love with your faith and believes. I'm a ex-christain studying your torah and holidays. It bought me closer to the true G-D and the meaning of One true G-D,his childrens and love. I think you for all your beautiful web-site and teachings. This is a blessing from G-D.
Thank you
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Thank you so much for the information you post on this Web site. I remember a time when I was unable to find the richness of the Hebraic teachings. At this time, I feel truly blessed to be able to glean from the fields of knowledge that you have so graciously made available.
Blessings and Shalom
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Excellent and very well written. Thanks a lot for these articles, full of symbolic significance. Shabbat ve Yom Tov!
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Hi. I'm in fifth grade and when you guys post these things, it's good because you have to do monthly research and we have to look up different stuff! So thanks again!
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For those of you who like cards, this site has some great e-cards for chanukah. Check them out.
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...Alot of christians dont realize that christmas Is a pagen holiday and what we really need to be celebrating is Hannukah the biblical holiday. Pray for the peace of jerusalem.
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Thank you so much for your information. I have for the last year been studying the Zohar and have come to realize that your religon touches my soul. I live in a small town where there are only christian places to whorship. Information isn't readily available. Learning about your faith and customs have literally saved me. I am anxious to put into practice a little of what I have read about. I am also anxious to find a place of worship that I can attend.
Bless you and your family for your insights and knowledge it helps to bless us all.
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This page is very interesting and I enjoyed it a lot. Good luck and thanks.
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Congratulations! Excellent site.
Mazol Tov & Happy Everything!
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Thank you so much for all of the information. I am a young Jewish adult now living on my own, and am responsible for carrying out the traditions in my own home. This is a great guideline to make sure I do everything correctly. Also, my boyfriend and his family are Catholic, and this site has helped me to explain the Jewish traditions to them in a manner that they can understand.
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Thank G-d you guys put this online. I am a secular Jew who is trying to reclaim some of the old traditions and this guide helps more than I can say!
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Although goy and Christian, I celebrate Chanukah and endure Xmas. Todah rabah for all the information you provide, and G-d bless all.
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I am a high school student whom has decided to convert to Judaism I thank you for your website for it has helped me through my transformation.
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My father is jewish and my mother is a christian. Since my mother never converted to judiaism, I was not raised as a jew. I have developed an interest in judiaism as I have gotten older. For me, it feels like it is a part of where I came from. My only memories as a child was my father teaching me jewish songs, a bar mitzvah, a jewish wedding as well as a jewish funeral. I am thankful for this site as it tells me how part of my families heritage. In ending, shalom.
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What a wonderful informative site you have for Chanukah. Many thanks to the Chabad for all your help that you do for Jewish people all over the world. Best wishes to all for a very happy holiday no matter what your religion.
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My father was born in Netherlands and grew up during its occupation in World War two. He later immigrated to Canada. He never forgot the horrors of that war and made sure that I learned what happened there, as well as in Germany, through various family vacations to Europe. Even thought he was not Jewish he would donate to various Jewish fund raising events when ever possible.
I was raised as a catholic growing up in a Jewish neighborhood in Montreal Canada. Some of my fondest childhood memories were playing basketball, with one of my Jewish friends at the local synagogue.
This is the first year of my life that I have felt so determined to celebrate Chanukah.
It has not been ease with all the conflicting information on the Internet but then I finally came to your web site. Being dysleric your web site was truly the most informative for me.
Thank you. Happy Chanukah to all.
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Lots of information i never knew about...
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I am a public high school teacher in south central Massachusetts, currently covering a "Foods & Nutrition" class for a colleague. I am preparing latkes for and with my students today and in the process am informing them about the rich heritage and tradition that is associated with this holiday food. Your website has been outstanding in serving as a resource for me, a Christian with a long standing appreciation for our common heritage. Shaloam!
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I have enjoyed the comments immensley from others. I will be coming back to this website often. I converted to Judaism 4 years ago and find my new religion fulfills all my needs. My husband was my life the past 14 years until this past May when he passed away. I will miss his guidiance on the holidays to help me learn more about them. I too find my new religion beautiful.
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Your site is marvelous. It is the very roots of my religion. I love your rituals, everything as you explain it here. Thank you, thank you for taking the time to help us understand and enrich our lives with the blessings of chanukkah. I want to see more and hear more and learn more. I wish all religions could do what you are doing! You honor yourselves and G-d with this beautiful site. I praise G-d.
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Thank you so much for your very informative website. As a 60 plus woman of Jewish heritage, though I attended Hebrew school as a young child, I never practiced my religion. With the recent passing of my mother I find myself thinking about some of the Jewish traditions that I remember when growing up. We were never a very religious family, but the traditions were a part of our upbringing. As I grow older, so many of those memories that were dormant are surfacing again. The menorah that belonged to my mother, and was passed on to me, became a connection to my parents and my Jewish heritage. Your site is teaching me what I have long forgotten over the years. I just found your website and I know I will come back to it again and again. So thank you again so much for your very educational and well organized site.
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good 4 completing assignments thanks
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I wish to thank you very much for a wonderfully comprehensive web site. As a father of two beautiful jewish daughters and one on the way, I again look forward to Chanukkah and the great traditions that we've celebrated in the past. My only regret is that my daughters cannot taste my grandma's latkes.
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Hello. I found this site an amazing one! I always love to celebrate Hanukkah but i am a Christian. Thank you for this guide so i can celebrate a REAL Hanukkah!
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as a convert, this is my first chanukah. this site has been great, more than helpful.
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I am a Christian but , i would like to help make my jewish friend's holiday as special as i can. this site was very helpful.
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I also am a Christian but love to research other religious customs. This site was the most informative I have visited.
Thank You
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Even though I am a Christian, I was always taught to embrace all Jewish holidays. Back when I went to a Christian elementary school we celebrated Chanukah. This year all of my family has to work on Christmas so this year we are celebrating Chanukah instead. I was quite rusty on what is supposed to be done for Chanukah and this website was very helpful. Now I just need to teach my father how to say the different prayers and such.
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I have recently learned that my fathers whole family is Jewish and it was kept a secret out of fear. I am 50 years old! this site is very helpful and I will use it often to learn more about my brave Russian forefathers.
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I would like to know the proper Chanukah greeting. At the school my children attend, the teacher told them to say "Shalom". I know that Shalom is a greeting, but not necessarily how you say happy Chanukah. Can you please clear this up for me as well as my little first grader. Thank you, be well.
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Shalom is a classic way of greeting which can be said at any time, the traditional Chaukah greeting is indeed Happy Chanukah or Chanukah Sameach in hebrew.
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It seems to me that the article made a mistake in stating that blessings 1 & 2 are said on nights following the first. I read that you say 2& 3 on the other nights.
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The blessings are correct. We only say Shehechayanu on the first night.
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Thank You for this information on Chanukah! This will be our first Chanukah and we are very excited to celebrate it. Blessings to you all!
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I must confess that I celebrate Christmas too, but often alone, except for the warmth from the glowing candles that conjure up more historical meaning, inspiring my muse to rise above all loneliness to where happiness awaits us. Cast down by the Hand of G-d, appearing and then disappearing, leaving us with a momentous and momentary sign and shadow signifying Hope from CHESSED (kindness).
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i believe the translation on the second brachah is a little off. it should be, "...in those days as well as in these times."
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The translation is accurate. You live in Israel. Think about the words, and you will realize.
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Happy Chanukah and best wishes to all Jewish People. Shalom. In our country we build one of the best Synagogue in the World and we are very glad and proud for it.
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My good friends! Indeed, at Brachah time, its important what is said, is clear, crisp and concise & without error, but unless every word is mentally sanctified and emanates from the soul and heart it has little meaning and fails to be heard as initially intended.
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We live in a religiously mixed community. Is it ok to light the Chanukia before the actual holiday for a festive look in the community?
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While in order to fulfill the actual Mitzvah of Chanukah one needs to light the Chanukah Menorah on Chanukah itself, one can indeed have an electric Menorah lit by their house before the holiday in order to publicize the holiday of Chanukah.
As explained above, the Menorah used for the Mitzvah itself should be one that uses fire i.e. a flammable fuel that feeds a visible flame via a wick. But the ones that are used just to publicize the holiday can be electric.
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As a Puertorican with both a jewish and catholic background I confess I celebrate both. I wish everyone a Happy Hanukkah.
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any tips for celebrating with a 8 month old baby girl?
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I have a 10 month old, I light the shamash, put it in her hand and held both her hand and the candle while we said the prayer and lit the first candle together. Then we put the plush fabric candle to her first hanukah set in it's holder together. I held her while we opened her first gift. I played some hanukah music and we danced together for a bit..
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This might be a very clumpsy question, but is it ok to connect the thought of relatives surviving the Shoah with the thought of the victory during Chanukah?
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I know Chanukah has already started but I'd like to know what's proper to say to my friend. Like, just keep saying "happy Chanukah" or are there more proper greetings and such.
I'm kinda really new to this.
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It may sound repetitive, but Happy Chanukah is indeed the greeting used on Chanukah.
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