The History and Traditions of Hanukkah [VIDEO]

Hanukkah starts tonight at sundown and lasts for the next eight days. 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.