Hanukah dates like all Jewish holiday dates vary and in 2022 the eight day festival starts on December 18th and ends December 26th, spanning Christmas on the 25th.
What's in it for the traveller? Eight branch candlesticks lit in public places and homes. An eight branch candlestick is already lit on the corner of the synagogue complex in Waterloo Street in Singapore.
Expect to see more in Israel and cities around the world, for residents and welcoming visitors and entertaining shoppers.
UK
I vividly remember being invited to the home of a neighbour in London, England and learning that the seven branch candlestick represents the seven days of the week, and is lit on the evening of the Sabbath.
Singapore
In Singapore a huge hanukiah was in Orchard Road, the main shopping street. I saw only three lights were lit. What a pity, I thought, that the electricity has failed to light it properly. Even though it looked faulty, I photographed it anyway.
Later, I learned that the hanukiah was correctly lit. You have one candle lit on day one, and another added on each of the days.
In Waterloo Street you can see a hanukiah near the MRT station.
Gifts of Hanukiahs, Bought and Home Made
A hannukiah is a great gift for your hosts or guests before or during hanukah. There are lots of modern designs. Decorating a DIY hanukiah is an activity for children at synagogues around the world. The children go home with a hanukiah suitable for their ages and abilities, drawn on paper and coloured, made from a wooden kit (from Jewish museum shops and Jewish gift shops and the internet. The wooden and clay ones can be painted.
Bargains
Just as Christmas theme gifts are reduced in price after Christmas, you might be lucky enough to snap up a bargain after Hanukah and stock up for next year. In Rockville Maryland in the USA when I was living there I went looking for a night dress in a small local dress shop. The only one they had was a reduced price hanukah theme blue night dress. I passed it by.
Then I went back for it. The price was right. I would never get another one like it. Nobody but me knew I was wearing it out of season.
Useful Websites
UK website
https://www.judaicawebstore.co.uk/hanukkah-menorahs-C106.aspx
US website
https://www.judaicawebstore.com/hanukkah-menorahs-C106.aspx?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah_menorah
- Yearly lighting of the Menorah at the White House
- Hanukkah Lamps from the collection of The Jewish Museum (New York)
- Hanukkah lamp collection at the Israel Museum.
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