Happy Hanukkah 2022 from Brent’s Deli
The word “Hanukkah” means dedication in Hebrew, and this important Jewish holiday represents joy. Often known as the Festival of Lights, this holiday commemorates Jews in the 2nd century B.C.E. who were compelled to accept Greek religion and culture and give up their Jewish observance.
Marked by the beautiful lighting of the menorah — the Hanukkah holiday is unique in its traditions and prayers. While it usually falls around the same time of year, the Hanukkah holiday is not merely the Jewish equivalent of Christmas. This traditional yearly celebration commemorates a religiously significant and crucial event—namely, a successful and influential revolt that Maccabees led against their Syrian-Greek oppressors.
The holiday is punctuated by an 8-night display of dancing flames on top of candles held in unique and intricate menorahs, conveying comfort, warmth, and a miracle. So, when is Hanukkah 2022? Let’s find out.
When Does Hanukkah Start in 2022?
You should know that the first day of Hanukkah 2022 is Sunday, December 18. The dates of this Jewish holiday run from sundown on December 18, 2022, to nightfall on December 26, 2022.
Why Does Hanukkah Change Dates Every Year?
It is worth noting that the dates of Hanukkah and other Jewish holidays are determined by the ancient Hebrew Calendar instead of the Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. On the other hand, the Hebrew or Jewish calendar is based on a lunar cycle. This creates a shift in when the Hanukkah holiday is celebrated every year. However, the first day of the Hanukkah holiday is always the 25th day of Kislev, based on the Hebrew calendar.
Although Hanukkah starts on the same day each year, it does not sync perfectly with the conventional Gregorian calendar. As a result, it has a different date each year.
What is Hanukkah and How is it Celebrated?
Chanukah (often spelled Hanukkah) is celebrated for 8 days in order to mark the miracle of a historic oil lamp that had just enough supply to burn for a single day when the strong Maccabees recaptured the Holy Temple in Jerusalem but surprisingly burnt for 8 nights. The day is celebrated with various Hanukkah traditions.
The first night’s sacred ritual is joyous. Families usually cook Hanukkah dinners and other food items laden with tasty fried foods, including fried potato latkes, in order to honor and celebrate the miracle.
On each night of Chanukah, Jews light special menorahs and add another flame each night until, on the final or eighth night, all eight flames are burning strongly and brightly. After dinner, families also recite blessings and sing songs.
Another honored Hanukkah tradition involves the famous game called “dreidel,” where a four-sided top, each with a Hebrew letter, is spun, and the face it lands on instructs participants to add coins or take them out of a pot.
Nowadays, communal menorah lightings are usually held in public squares and share Chanukah’s message and spirit of the triumph of light over darkness as well as the freedom to worship God.
Traditional Hanukkah Foods
While oil might no longer be the light source at Hanukkah 2022, it still has an essential place at the dinner table over the holiday. This is because food items fried in oil, such as potato latkes and sufganiyot (jelly donuts)—are a primary feature of the Jewish festivities.
In Israel, bakers and pastry shops specialize in creating unique and delicious sufganiyot. Some other popular items are bimuelos (dough puffs), keftes de prasas (fried leek patties), and sfenj (North African yeast doughnuts). Here are some of the best Hanukkah 2022 foods.
» Latkes
No Hanukkah feast or dinner is complete without these appetizing potato pancakes. Latkes are a heavenly combination of onions, potatoes, eggs, and yummy matzo meal fried to golden perfection, like hash browns. They are traditionally topped with sour cream and applesauce and served as a side dish.
» Sufganiyot
Sufganiyot is a popular Israeli tradition for Hanukkah desserts. While they are a kind of donut, rather than beignet iteration, Sufganiyot are soft jelly donuts. However, if you do not like jelly, you may substitute it for chocolate, cream, or Nutella.
» Rugelach
Sweets are an essential Hanukkah food, and this unique iteration of conventional European pastries is really a treasure. Rugelach is a famous Jewish dessert that combines the goodness of a croissant with a Danish.
Hailing from Poland, rugelach is one of the bakery staples. They are miniature crescents of pastry dough with several layers of chocolate, fruit jelly, dried fruits, and chopped nuts. The pastry dough includes cream cheese and sour cream to provide an undeniably rich and unique flavor.
» Chocolate Gelt
These decadent foil-wrapped chocolate coins are also enjoyed on Hanukkah holidays. The word gelt means money, and kids were usually given coins to donate during the religious holiday to teach them about giving and charity.
» Matzo Ball Soup
Every culinary culture or tradition has comforting soup in order to soothe what ails you. And for Jews, it is the famous Matzo Ball Soup. Matzo balls are delicious soup dumplings usually made from matzo meal, water, eggs, and fat like butter, oil, or chicken fat. Also, Matzo Ball Soup is not merely a Hanukkah food but a dumpling soup that you can enjoy anytime.
You can also enjoy Matzo Ball Soup and other treats, such as potato latkes, at Brent’s Deli this Hanukkah. You will like their lightly textured and appetizing matzo ball in a delicious bowl of chicken noodle soup.
Get Hanukkah Catering Near You
If you are looking for Hanukkah catering near me, rely on Brent’s Deli’s Hanukkah catering to get it right this year so you can have peace of mind. Hanukkah holiday celebrations can be more fun and exciting when the best deli near you is catering.
Their diverse and excellent menu includes many options, such as a complete meal with an appetizer, soup, vegetables, and your choice of entrée that can serve at least eight people. On the other hand, you can also buy individual foods, such as brisket and noodle Kugel.
Final Thoughts
Falling around wintertime every year, the Hanukkah holiday is usually deemed the Jewish equivalent of Christmas. However, besides their approximate dates, and the contemporary tradition of giving, the two observances and holidays bear little similarity.
Hanukkah is a significant and joyous holiday in the Jewish religious tradition focusing on togetherness, and music and food play a significant part here. In addition to Ma’oz Tzur, a song usually sung after the nighttime lighting of the candles, the festive celebration also features a playlist of enduring Hanukkah hits, such as traditional Hebrew folk songs like “S’vivon sov sov sov,” and modern hits, such as ode to latkes by Debbie Friedman.
If you are hosting a Hanukkah dinner but feeling stressed or anxious about cooking yourself, you can make the most of Brent’s Deli’s Hanukkah meal and other food items. Brent’s Deli has you covered this Hanukkah with its classic menu. From Matzo ball soup, chopped liver, and gefilte fish to latkes and Sufganyotes, you will find an impeccable and diverse range of Jewish food items. Happy Hanukkah 2022 from Brent’s Deli! Brent’s Deli wishes you a happy and blessed Hanukkah holiday!
- Westlake Village
(805) 557-1882- Northridge
(818) 886-5679
