Reply to we're Jewish, 7yo daughter wants advent calendar

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP again. I'm taking a very active role in educating DD about Judaism and (to the extent I can) other religions too. She can tell you the story of Passover. She knows why we celebrate Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Personally [b]I think the story of Hanukkah is a glorified street battle and I hate that it's been commercialized within an inch of its life to compete with Christmas,[/b] but whatever, she knows the oil burned for 8 days instead of 1 and that a great miracle happened there. She likes to learn about the "why" behind all holidays -- just last month she asked me why we celebrate Halloween, so I got to take a deep dive into Celtic history and how as Christianity spread to Britain the church co-opted the people's ancient traditions to turn what was an earth-based celebration of the new year into the witches and trick-or-treats we think of today. I know it's not the same as her being in Hebrew School, but it's not nothing.[/quote]

Just so you know, there is more to Hanukkah than either the military nationalist stuff, or the commercial pseudo christmas stuff.

Hanukkah in origin was really a substitute Sukkos.  The reason for the 8 days was probably (sorry, very sorry) not a miracle with oil, but because the Temple was under Seleucid control during sukkos - which is 8 days.  And is celebrated with plants and stuff (the original menorot may have been plants with oil lamps - take that, christmas tree).  Sukkos is when Solomon dedicated the Temple, so Hanukkah (lit "dedication") as the time of rededication is an echo of it.

Its also the only significant post biblical holiday.  Which for those of us who consider being post biblical Jews important, makes it especially important.

have fun exploring.  [/quote]

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