Loukoumades are deep-fried puffs dipped in honey or sugar to represent the cakes the Maccabees ate, along with Soofganiyot (also Sufganiyot) and zelebi. Pancakes, another traditional dish, are served as a reminder of the food hurriedly prepared for the Maccabees as they went into battle. The oil they are fried in reminds us of the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days when there was enough to last only one. Latkes, tradition says, are symbolic of the cheesecakes served by the widow Judith mentioned above. Today potato and vegetable latkes are the most common.

Traditional Hanukkah Songs

MI Y’malel is one of my two favorites. It’s English lyrics are:

Who can retell the things that befell us,
Who can count them?
In every age, a hero or sage
Came to our aid.

Hark!
This time of year in days of Yore
Maccabees the Temple did restore
And tonight our people as we dream
Will arise, unite, and be redeemed.

Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages) is my second favorite Hanukkah song. It’s English lyrics are:

Rock of Ages let our song,
Praise thy saving power;
Thou amidst the raging foes,
Waste our sheltering tower.

Furious they assailed us,
But Thine arm availed us,
And Thy word broke their sword,
When our own strength failed us.
And Thy word broke their sword,
When our own strength failed us..

In closing, allow me to impart some final thoughts. Remember that traditions are not evil of themselves. They can enrich our lives, so long as our traditions do not conflict with what the TORAH teaches. And if you decide to celebrate Hanukkah, don’t do what many secular Jews started doing about forty years ago, and turn it into a Jewish form of Christmas. The so called Hanukkah bush (an artificial white Christmas tree decorated in blue) is just as Pagan as a green Christmas tree decked with silver and gold.

Hanukkah commemorates rededication of YHVH’s temple. For now we are His only Temple. And as such, we are blessed to house in our very bodies His Ruach ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit). So as we prepare to celebrate the Rededication of the second Temple, if you are still worshiping YHVH the way Pagans worshiped their sun-gods, STOP! Repent! Rededicate your temple! May the flame of Yeshua blaze brightly in you this and every Hanukkah!