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What Is Hanukkah

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Five Little-Known Hanukkah Facts

Even if you’re not lighting a menorah this season, here’s five things you might not have known about Hanukkah.

Hanukkah, the Jewish “festival of lights,” begins at sunset on Saturday, Dec. 8, and ends at sunset on Sunday, Dec. 16. When many people think of Hanukkah—sometimes spelled “Chanukah” because of its pronunciation in Hebrew—they think of dreidels, the nine-armed version of a menorah called a Chanukiah, and Adam Sandler. But here’s a few things you might not know about the world’s most oft-misspelled eight-day holiday: 1. The dates of Hanukkah are always different. Well, at least to our calendar. If you had a Hebrew calendar on-hand, you’d see that Hanukkah always begins on the 25th day of the Jewish month Kislev. For our Gregorian calendar, Hanukkah can begin anywhere between late November and late December, depending on the year. But why …

Friday, December 7, 2012

Hanukkah Recipes: Easy Latkes, Squash Gelt and Dreidel Treats

Hanukkah begins at sunset tomorrow night, Saturday December 8, and ends at sunset on Sunday December 16. Here are some recipes to help make your holiday sweet – and savory!

 (Makes 12 large latkes) I shared my ‘basic’ version of this recipe two years ago, but I have come to realize that not everyone needs quite so many latkes. So here is a scaled-down version of the recipe – but you can always go back to the original if you like! Ingredients: Directions: Note: If you like grating your own potatoes (and, unlike me, can do so without grating your knuckles), substitute 3 medium baking potatoes for the Simply Potatoes pre-shredded ones. Make sure to grate the potatoes on the larger-holed attachment of your food processor or grater, and squeeze out all moisture in a dishtowel or with your hands. Also, add a tablespoon of water to your beaten eggs to make sure the mixture is moist enough.   (Serves 4) Two years ago…

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