HANUKKAH AND NEW YEARS EVE TOGETHER !!!
NOT AGAIN FOR 8 MORE YEARS
With great Mazal and good fortune, a very special coincidence will occur on New Year’s Eve, December 31st, 2016.
The 8th night of Hanukkah (Zot Hanukkah) will be ON New Year’s Eve. This has happened on the same night as New Year’s Eve only 4 times in the past 100 years. It happened in 1918, 1921, 1959 and 2005. The next time this will happen won’t be until 2024.
This eight-day period of Hanukkah is symbolic of the seven days of creation with the eighth day representing eternity. During the Maccabean revolt, the Temple was desecrated, making it impossible to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Hanukkah was patterned after the Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkot; and thus was called the Feast of Dedication. Hanukkah is not a Sabbath-like holiday. It is not specifically mentioned in the book of Maccabees, but alludes to their rest from their fighting on the 25th day of Kislev. There was also reference to the relighting of the altar fire by Nehemiah, which occurred on the 25th day of Kislev.
The last day of Hanukkah is known as Zot Hanukkah from the statement in the book of Numbers 7:84 “…this was the dedication of the altar”. This day symbolizes the final “seal” of the high holy season of Yom Kippur, also known as the Feast of Atonement, and is considered a time to repent out of love for God. Thus one would hear the salutation during this period: “May your name be written in the book of life”; which was a traditional greeting on the Yom Kippur season.
In 165 B.C. the Jewish revolt against the Seleucid monarchy was successful. The Temple was liberated and rededicated and the Festival of Hanukkah was instituted.
So what can we do to “upgrade” and celebrate this momentous event?
During Hanukkah, we traditionally eat items fried in oil, like “latkes” (potato pancakes), and “sufganiyot” in Israel (doughnuts). This represents the miracle of the little bit of oil lasting for all 8 nights of Hanukkah. Also, eating cheese and other dairy products is very popular as it symbolizes the heroism of Judith during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews and serves as a reminder of how women played an important role in the events of Hanukkah. So our party on Zot Hanukkah can serve latkes, sufganiyot, and dairy dishes, which are serendipidously the best type of food to eat, when you want to do some serious imbibing of alcoholic beverages. After all, it is New Years Eve!
This year only, Alida Bunder, a ceramic artist outside Jerusalem, Israel, has created 4 styles of Hanukkiah, each designed for the confluence of winter, New Years Eve and Hanukkah. Each comes with a very special design feature for New Year’s Eve (the eighth night) – a thin pocket on the back of each Hanukkah Menorah for placing a “sparkler” to light with the candles on the eighth night. Check Alida’s site for additional celebratory ceramic works of art at www.jewishheirlooms.com or on Etsy.com look for her shop “jewishheirlooms.”
What a great way to celebrate Hanukkah and bringing in the New Year by purchasing a special one of a kind, Limited Edition, Hanukkiah (Hanukkah Menorah), celebrating the coincidence of winter, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve.
Be the first in your neighborhood. Each unique design is hand crafted and hand painted in her studio, located in the Judean Hills of Jerusalem. Each design will be limited to an edition of 36 only, to create a memorable and exclusive work of art.
Alida’s last sets of Limited Edition Thanksgiving/Hanukkah designs in 2013, sold out within days of being offered. Display your purchase all year round.
