Hanukkah around the world

In Israel and around the world, Jews celebrate Hanukkah, the festival of light, for 8 days from 7 December this year. Traditionally, during this period, candles are lit and oil-fried food is eaten for 8 days.

However, some countries celebrate in a less familiar way:

The Jewish communities of Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Morocco, Greece, and Yemen observe another holiday during Hanukkah, which translates into English as “the women’s holiday”. Jewish heroines are honoured, and girls of bat mitzvah age and engaged women are also celebrated on this special night.

The Avignon region in southern France is famous for its excellent wines. So it’s no surprise that Jews there open their wine cellars on Hanukkah, after the Sabbath has passed, crack open a new bottle of wine and empty their glasses with the appropriate blessing. Then they go around the neighbourhood to taste their neighbours’ wine and have a toast to the miracle of Hanukkah at each of them.

In Romania, Austria, and other Central European regions, it is a common custom among Jews to make a meal of potatoes, adding a new carved vegetable every day.