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The History and Traditions of Hanukkah [VIDEO]

Rabbi Paula Mack Drill is the rabbi at the Orangetown Jewish Center

 

Hanukkah started Saturday at sundown and will last for another for the sixdays. Patch checked in with Rabbi Paula Mack Drill of the Orangetown Jewish Center to learn more about the history and traditions of the holiday.

Drill said there are two versions of Hanukkah history, one more history-based and the other more of a story, which she added is the more well known version. She talks about both versions in the first video above.

As for Hanukkah traditions, Drill said some of her favorite holiday traditions revolve around food. On Chanukah, Drill said it’s traditional to eat things fried in oil, such as potato pancakes. It’s also customary to eat sufganiyah, or Hebrew jelly donuts, as Drill called them.

Drill added that on Hanukkah Jewish people light the menorah nightly and play dreidel, a game.

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