The eight-night feast of Hanukkah started on Christmas day—a special occurrence last witnessed in 2005. Jews across town recollect this “festival of lights” from their formative years

Rina Moses with congregation members last Sunday

You could simply call it our kind of Diwali,” a friend once declared when we were still in school. Indeed, for Judaism globally, Hanukkah—also spelt as Chanukah—is its festival of lights.

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The Jewish month of Kislev (or Chislev), remarkable for the festival of Hanukkah beginning on its 25th day, occurs in line with the Gregorian calendar any time from November 28 to December 27.

This year, the first day of Hanukkah falling on December 25, has coincided with Christmas for only the fifth time since 1900. The last combined occurrence of the two feasts was in 2005.

Noreen Elijah unveils the 2025 JRU centenary logo, designed by Brian (seated beside) and Asma Elijah (standing rightmost)

The Hanukkah tradition of lighting lamps or candles over eight consecutive nights derives from a vital episode of Jewish history—when the community won back Jerusalem’s Second Temple after a band of brave Maccabees successfully revolted against the Greeks around 164 BCE. Rejoicing with a triumphant rededication ceremony on defeating Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Seleucid empire, they found there was olive oil enough to light the wick of the menorah lampstand for just a single night.

Dismay gave way to astonishment when, instead, the pure oil lasted eight entire nights.

To commemorate that miracle, Jewish families and friends still light the nine-branched Hanukkah menorah candelabrum for eight consecutive nights. The main flame—a “starter” at the centre, called shamash (“attendant”), on either side of which are four upturned branches—is lit the first evening. It in turn illuminates the second lamp, and so on. Each night a fresh arm of the menorah glows, till nine flames flicker strong on the eighth.

A menorah fitted with oil lamps instead of candles

Descendants of the Maccabee family, the Hasmonean dynasty extended from 140 to 37 BCE. In an article titled “Why Hanukkah became such a big deal”, Rabbi Dr Zev Farber has written: “The symbolic lighting of candles mimics a ritual act in the Temple but, at the same time, the festival’s significance lies in how it marks the beginning of Judean political independence under the Hasmoneans. This achievement should not be minimised.”

Jews covering the spectrum........

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