SALT LAKE CITY — Hanukkah is a tradition even older than Christmas, one that commemorates an event that occurred about 2,200 years ago. But the Jewish holiday, which lasts for eight nights beginning Wednesday, has only been celebrated openly in Utah for about three decades.
"The biggest threat to the existence of any given culture, Judaism included, is ignorance, lack of knowledge. People simply don't know," explained Rabbi Benny Zippel, the Executive Director of Chabad Lubavitch of Utah.
The rabbi came to Utah with his family 32 years ago to educate and instruct both the now 7,500 Jews in the state, and non-Jews alike about their beliefs, customs, and traditions.
"Hanukkah is the holiday that commemorates the victory of the Jewish people in the battle against the Greek-Syrian army, and the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem, where a menorah, a candelabra, would be kindled daily," the rabbi explained.
Only 15 years ago, then-Governor John Huntsman Jr. invited Zippel's congregation to kindle the menorah in the governor's mansion. Years later, the event outgrew that space and is now lit in the capital rotunda.
But there's more to it than the menorah.
"It's like, 'Oh, yeah, it's a minor holiday,' where there's like a gift exchange and people buy gifts and give gifts, and they invite each other home for festive meals," said Zippel, "but it's actually quite a significant holiday in Jewish ritual and custom."
The miracle of Hanukkah happened primarily with oil, consecrated olive oil lasting eight days rather than just one. So it's customary to eat fried foods on the holiday, like jelly donuts and potato latkes, which are potato pancakes that are fried in oil.
Some people give cash as a gift and gelt, which are little chocolate coins for children who spin the toy dreidel, a game reminiscent of children playing with dreidels outside, waiting to give warning to families who would secretly study their religion, a crime punishable by death.
On each one of the four sides of the dreidel is a Hebrew letter which is an acronym for the sentence: A great miracle happened there.
Rabbi Zippel says the current conflict in the Middle East, Gaza, and the West Bank highlights the importance of celebrating Jewish holidays in Utah,
"People feel like, 'I need to somewhat hide my identity perhaps, and a holiday like Hanukkah is a very important statement, that no, I don't have to hide from anyone and I don't feel like we're doing anything wrong," he said.
The rabbi believes that when people understand what they're celebrating, they'll understand why Hanukkah is so important.
"The message that is encapsulated by the menorah; it is the light, the predominance, the victory of light over darkness," he shared.
Thursday at 5:30 p.m., on the second night of Hanukkah, the menorah will be lit in the Utah Capitol Rotunda with Lt. Governor Deirdre Henderson on hand, along with United States Ambassador John Price as guests.
