Experience Vienna
Vienna Blog by the Schick Hotels and Restaurants
 

Christmas—Contemporaneous with Hanukkah

Everyone knows that Jews love celebrating. People make long and copious preparations for the large, magnificent celebrations so that everything turns out perfectly. A major holiday will soon take place.

 

The Jewish Festival of Lights has significant meaning in Judaism. I’d like briefly to show you why: As of the 25th Kislev (the third month according to the Jewish calendar), exactly eight days begin. During this period, no funeral speeches are made and people do not fast. When the Greeks in particular entered a sanctuary, they contaminated the oils. Once the insurrectionists prevailed, they found a single jug with oil that was still sealed by a priest. (Here’s the punch line.) Although this only held so much oil to burn for a single day, a miracle happened: The oil burned for eight days straight.

This year, the Hanukkah festival will occur from 21-28 December, right during Christmas time. Since a large Hanukkah celebration is presented every year at Stephansplatz in Vienna’s First District, this year will be very exciting since the Christmas celebration will coincide with Hanukkah. On the occasion of this celebration, a large Hanukkah candle will be set up. Many members of the Jewish community will thereby meet on the seventh day of the Hanukkah festival to celebrate to music and snack on Jewish delicacies—characteristic among which is the Hanukkah donut. Moreover, this holiday is very popular among children since they receive gifts—just like at Christmas.

I wish all readers a happy Christmas or Hanukkah festival.



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