◆ Hanukkah 2026

Customs & Observances

• Lighting the menorah — adding one candle each night
• Chanukah blessings — "Lehadlik ner shel Chanukah", "She'asah nisim la'avoteinu", and "Shehecheyanu" on the first night (Shulchan Aruch OC 676); "Hanerot Halalu" is recited after lighting, and "Maoz Tzur" is sung
• Lighting the shamash (helper candle)
• Eating foods fried in oil: latkes, sufganiyot
• Playing dreidel (sevivon)
• Reciting Hallel and Al HaNisim

Greetings & Blessings for Hanukkah

Traditional greetings used before, during, and after Hanukkah:

• Happy Hanukkah — the standard English greeting
• Chag Urim Sameach — "A joyous Festival of Lights"
• Chag Chanukah Sameach — "A joyous Hanukkah holiday"

בעברית:

• חנוכה שמח
• חג אורים שמח
• חג חנוכה שמח

About Hanukkah

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated for eight days beginning on the 25th of Kislev. It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple and the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days.

Also known as: Chanukah, Festival of Lights

Jewish holidays begin at sunset on the evening before the date shown and conclude at nightfall (when three medium stars are visible) on the final day. In the Diaspora, major Torah festivals are observed for two days (Yom Tov Sheni shel Galuyot), while in Israel they are observed for one day.