8 Things to Know about Hanukkah + Maison Tahite Cocao2 draw

 

Hanukkah facts

image of Hanukkah Menorah with niche perfume candles by Robert Herrmann (RIP) 

In 2021, Hanukkah will begin at sundown November 28 while many Americans are still eating turkey leftovers. CaFleureBon has dedicated Hanukkah posts every year since my first in 2011. We have always connected the history of Hanukkah to fragrance. This year (don’t worry there will be perfume as the draw) I took a  different approach and shared eight things to know about Hanukkah you might not have known.

Judah Maccabee by Arthur Szyk unsplash

 What does the word Hanukkah mean? Hanukkah translates literally as ‘dedication: The holiday commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 160 BC. After outlawing the Jewish religion and Jewish practices, the then-King Antiochus IV decreed that Jews must worship Greek gods in the Temple. Judah Maccabee, the son of the Temple’s Jewish priest led a small defense force (we know them as The Maccabees) revolted, ultimately forcing Antiochus IV out of Judea. The Maccabees were victorious and ousted a much larger army.

Best Hanukkah perfume

 Why is it called the Festival of Lights and what’s with the Menorah? Judah Maccabee knew that the temple needed to be re-sanctified to the one true G-d, however it had been completely trashed by the Greek troops.  Menorahs have long been a symbol used in Judaism, as far back as the menorah described in the Old Testament as the seven-lamp ancient Hebrew lampstand made of pure gold and used in the tabernacle set up by Moses. When the altar was rebuilt by  the Maccabees, part of that included relighting the menorahs. The soldiers only had enough oil to light the menorah for a single night, but the legend goes that there was a miracle and that the little bit of oil lasted for eight full nights. There are actually nine candles in the Hanukkah menorah because all the others are lit by the “shamash” which can be translated as sun or helper. Hebrew translation is complicated.

How to Spell Hanukkah.

 

Why are there so many different spellings? Which is correct? Hanukkah comes from the Hebrew language, which like Cyrillic and Arabic are written in different alphabets so they don’t use  the Latin Alphabet and also certain sounds cannot be translated exactly. According to Google there are 16 variations of the Hanukkah spelling on the Web (which doesn’t include the Spanish “Januka”), but eight are the most prevalent with Hanukkah and Chanukah being the most used.

Thanksgivakkuh

Why doesn’t the holiday start on the same day every year? The dates of Jewish holidays are determined by the ancient Hebrew calendar as opposed to the Gregorian solar calendar. The Hebrew calendar is based on a lunar cycle (which is why in 2013 there was a rare Thanksgivakkuh (mash-up of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah) . It was the first time in our lifetimes and since 1888—the first day of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah coincided Thanksgiving. Rare indeed as next time by all calculations will be in the 79,811. Hanukkah and Christmas overlap once every 15 years, the last being in 2019. Hanukkah begins on Christmas Day is 2024.

playing with a dreidel in the reform temple Beth El. Providence, R.I., 1955. Photograph by Burt Glinn©

What’s the story behind the Hanukkah game called Dreidel? Historians are unclear  on the origin of the game of dreidel. Some say it was played during the Maccabee revolt as a type of decoy after the Greek armies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes enacted a series of laws outlawing many Jewish religious practices. Jews would outsmart them by playing with a spinning top – a popular gambling device. The Hebrew letters inscribed on a dreidel are a Nun, Gimel, Hey or Chai, and Shin. The letters form an acronym for the Hebrew saying “Nes Gadol Hayah Sham”, which can be translated to “a great miracle happened there,” referring to the miracle which Hanukkah is centered around. Today the four-sided top is used during Hanukkah. Dreidel is played by children mostly with each player starting with an equal number of game pieces. Those game pieces could be items including chocolate Hanukkah gelt.

Chocolate Hanukkah Gelt

What is the true story behind gelt? The precise origin of Hanukkah gelt (Hebrew and Yiddish word for money) is disputed. Some historians believe that it was used as tips for teachers or to teach children about charity. The most popular explanation is that coins became a symbol of the holiday because the ancient Jews’ ability to make their own coins was a symbol of independence.  In the 1920s, Loft’s, an American candy company, produced the first chocolate gelt, wrapped in gold  and silver foil in mesh pouches resembling money bags.

How many countries celebrate Hanukkah? 21 countries, but Wikipedia cites 111 countries where Jewish people live including 500 Jews in Keifung China who might celebrate Hanukah secretly.

Why are there gifts given during Hanukkah? Hanukkah is not the Jewish Christmas: In fact, it was a relatively minor holiday until the late 19th century when Christmas was declared a national holiday and commercialized,   Parents didn’t want their children to feel left out as their peers received presents every December.

Disclosure:  based on my research

I wrote our first Hanukkah perfume post on December 1, 2010.  In  2011, it was Tama Blough (RIP), next was Nancy Lichtenstein in 2013, followed by Drew Chafee in 2014, Aaron Potterman 2015, Robert Herrmann (RIP) also  in 2017, Ida Meister in 2018 and  Alexandre Helwani in 2019 and The Perfumed Dahlia in 2020.  We have come from all religious backgrounds. Dawn Spencer Hurwitz was the first perfumer (I believe) to create a fragrance specifically for this holiday in 2009: Chanukah Cannelle–Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief

Maison Tahite Cacao 2 review

Photo Indigo Perfumery©

Thanks to the generosity and in the spirit of Hanukkah giving we have a 100 ml bottle of Maison Tahite Cocao2  (chocolate!!!) courtesy of Ann Bouterse owner of Indigo Perfumery, for a registered reader in the US ONLY. To be eligible please leave a comment with one or more things you learnt about Hanukkah that you did not know. Draw closes 11/30/21

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28 comments

  • AleksCipri says:

    Posts like this one are why I love CaFleureBon. I can always expect to learn something new and interesting. I really didn’t know many details about Hanukkah, so all of it was very fun to read. I particularly found interesting the first part about the background of the holiday and what it celebrates and stand for. Thank you so much for being such a great blog! I also didn’t know about Hanukkah gelt. Really interesting. I’m from Illinois, US.

  • raisinred says:

    Wonderful article. I learned several things about Hanukkah that I didn’t know: that the ninth candle on the menorah is called “shamash,” which can be translated as sun or helper; and that the Spanish spelling is “Januka.” It was also lovely to learn that Dawn Spencer Hurwitz created the first perfume dedicated to Hanukkah in 2009. Thank you for the generous giveaway. I am a registered reader in the US.

  • Emily L says:

    I learned so much about Hanukkah! Thank you for the informative article. Here’s what I learned:
    • It commemorates the rededication of the of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 160 BC.
    • There are 16 ways to spell Hanukkah.
    • I learned why the holiday is on a different date every year.

    I would love to be entered in the drawing. I received a sample of Cacao 2 from Indigo this month and was instantly addicted. It’s on my wish list! I live in Indiana.

  • DavisonH says:

    I didn’t know much more than the basics of Hanukah -Judah Maccabee, menorah, and that it’s 8 nights.
    I was surprised that only 21 countries celebrate it but 111 countries have Jewish people living there. I hope to win MAISON Tahite Cocao2 and thanks Indigo

  • IvanVelikov says:

    Guys is it just me, or the second sentence from the quote is … unfinished?

    “Why are there gifts given during Hanukkah? Hanukkah is not the Jewish Christmas: In fact, it is a relatively minor holiday but in the late 19th century when Christmas was declared a national holiday, … ”

    Some of the facts in the article I already knew, the most interesting things I’ve learned about Hanukkah are the :
    * Festival of Lights
    * Menorahs
    * holiday doesn’t start on the same day every year
    * Hanukkah gelt
    Thank you all
    USA

  • Alicia says:

    Wow great post and I learned so much and I observe the holiday.
    I didn’t know that the letters on the dreidel mean a miracle happened here. The original of gelt or Shamash means sun and helper.I printed out Michelyn essay for my kids. I am not eligible for the draw since I live in Canada

  • sephrenia300 says:

    What a wonderfully charming article Michelyn! I actually already knew a lot about Hanukkah but I did not know about the origin of Dreidel – that the origin is unclear and disputed, but was possibly a type of decoy/rebellious/subversive act of defiance against anti-Jewish laws outlawing their religious practices. That is quite interesting and inspiring. And while I did know the story about the origin of Hanukkah, I did not know that Hanukkah translates literally as “dedication”. I live in the US.

  • msnitechemist says:

    I live in a county that has a fair number of Jewish folks, so growing up, we learned Hanukkah songs along with the Christmas ones in school. How amazing to learn that there was a Thanksgivakkuh in 2013. Being Chinese, I have a lunar birthday in addition to the Western Gregorian one, so it’s always interesting when dates align.

    I didn’t know that the gifts were forced commercialization and keeping up with the Joneses with the Christians. Eep! Still, I appreciate this post b/c in both traditions now, the importance of chocolate is alive! 🙂 I live in the US.

  • wallygator88 says:

    Thank you for the great Hannukah article. While I have read many of them before, this one was pretty unique because all the information in the article is brand new to me,

    I found the fact about the Kaifeng Jews pretty interesting and I’m going into a new rabbithole.

    I was also surprised (and happy) to learn that Hannukah and Thanksgiving overlapped in 2013.

    Cheers from WI, USA

  • Thebluelotus says:

    I was completely unaware of Hanukkah so it was all new for me. I learned about the game Driedel so it was interesting to learn about it. Also the fact that its not on the same day each year, different ways to spell it, all was new for me. Thanks for the learning opportunity.
    USA

  • FC says:

    I knew there are few variations in spelling of Hannukah but I didn’t know there are at least 16. I am also surprised to learn there are so few Jewish people in China, the world’s most populated country. I am in US.

  • Kevin Pedrazs says:

    I didn´t even know Hannukkah was celebrated by so many countries and the history behind it was the fight of the Juda Maccabee. It was so interesting to know about this celebration, Im in U.S.

  • Lily says:

    I didn’t know the possible origin of the dreidel!
    It brings back fond memories of my childhood piano teacher who so generously shared her Jewish heritage with her students every year. We would have our piano lesson and then play dreidel games with chocolates while she taught us how to pronounce each letter.
    It’s been about 30 years and she passed a number of years ago but this was such a nice trip down memory lane – thank you x

  • binxcat says:

    I can’t say there was anything I didn’t know (years of Hebrew and Yiddish schools) but this certainly was an enjoyable read! As I’m getting ready to celebrate Hanukkah tonight, I appreciate the opportunity to win a Hanukkah gift – thank you Ann Bouterse/Indigo Perfumery and Çafleurebon; I’ll raise a jelly donut later to you!

  • kdub2675 says:

    I grew up in a rural town in the southern US which is predominately based in the Christian faith so I found Michelyn’s article most enlightening. Namely, as a child I would often see those gold wrapped chocolates in occasionally in stores and until now…I never knew their origins. Also, the reason for the wide array of spelling variations for Hanukkah was always a mystery to me until now.

    I’m in the USA.

  • drjedi says:

    Thanks for this post on Hanukkah origins and the menorah – didn’t know the history, about the game, and the interesting tidbits about when and why Hanukkah may coincide with Thanksgiving or Christmas. Thanks also to Indigo Perfumery for a generous draw of 100 ml bottle of Maison Tahite Cocao2. From USA.

  • frw says:

    I had not realized that gifts were not traditional, but it makes sense. I loved the detail given in the article and that there are so many spelling variations. Thanks to CaFleurBon and Indigo for the draw! USA

  • MikeJ says:

    Love me some chocolate… But don’t have a fragrance with any in it!! It’s always good to learn something new, everyday. Like the meaning of Hanukkah or how many country celebrate it (21) I did know about the coins (gelt) haven’t seen any in awhile. Love the bottle style, I might check out some samples cause probably won’t win any time soon LoL USA

    Thanks Cafleurebon for this draw & teaching us all about Hanukkah and what it means to so many!! Good luck everyone!!!

  • xoe says:

    I was surprised to learn that so few countries officially celebrate Hannukah, but then I don’t know how other countries declare holidays. Thanks for this! I am in the US.

  • GennyLeigh says:

    Thank you for the history of Hanukkah celebrations. I’m not Jewish, but I have celebrated in the past with observant friends. I wasn’t aware there were different stories about the tradition of gelt. My friends told me it signified giving (charity). The Maison Tahite Cacao2 seems an appropriate scent to celebrate. I’m in MD, USA.

  • Professor_Bair says:

    Super interesting write-up! I really enjoyed it. I always wondered about the gifting part of the holiday so that was interesting to learn. USA

  • redwheelbarrow says:

    Reading this I realize I know very little about Hanukkah. To be honest, I only really knew the children’s aspects – the dreidel, chocolate gelt, the miracle of lights, and the giving of gifts. I did not know that Hanukkah was the celebration of religious freedom. Thank you for this and for the draw. In the US.

  • Brian says:

    I did not know before:
    -that there are 16 different spellings of Hanukkah.
    -that the Maccabees drove away a larger army than themselves.
    -that the start date of Hanukkah is determined by the ancient
    Hebrew calendar.
    -that the Hebrew calendar is based on a lunar cycle.
    I’d love to try this fragrance from Maison Tahite. I live in MD., U.S.A. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.

  • Michael Prince says:

    There are several things I didn’t know about Hanukkah. First, that it starts on November 28th this year, but it varies from year to year and why the dates are different. Second, that Hanukkah isn’t the Jewish Christmas and didn’t start giving gifts until Christmas was declared a national holiday in the late 19th century and was heavily commercialized, so they didn’t want the Jewish children to left without gifts. I had no idea about the Jewish game Dreidel or that Gelt is Hebrew and Yiddish word for money. I am from Ohio, USA.

  • sav17 says:

    This was an interesting article. I did not realize that there are 16 variations of the Hanukkah spelling. I always knew there were a few variations, but 16 is a lot! I have almost always seen it written as “Hanukkah” and write it that way, as well. Thank you for the article! And thank you, Ann, for the generous giveaway once again. I love Cacao2 and would love to win a bottle. I am located in the USA.

  • Mazikeen Smith 24 says:

    It said write about one or more things that I learned, but I did not know anything until I read this! It is awesome to learn new things! Thank you for as always giving us new learnings other than the perfumes. I am always stoked about perfumes that smell like chocolate because they are so comforting!
    I hope to try this one, I really love chocolate <3
    Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Hanukkah! <3
    Cheers from USA, SC