Last day of Chanukah in Australia

Many Jewish people in Australia mark the last day of Chanukah as the end of the Chanukah celebrations. Chanukah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish observance to remember the Jewish people's struggle for religious freedom.

Candles are lit during Chanukah. ©iStockphoto.com/Tova Teitelbaum

What do people do?

Many Jewish Australians conclude Chanukah with the last day of Chanukah, which is the eighth day of the Chanukah festivities. The last day of Chanukah is known as Zose Chanukah, Zos Chanukah or Zot Chanukah.  It is the second day of the month of Tevet and marks the day on which the great miracle of oil occurred, according to Jewish belief. It is a particularly special day because it encapsulates all of Chanukah. The hanukiah, which is a type of candelabrum, is fully lit by the end of the Chanukah period.

Many Jewish families in Australia get together to play traditional games, including games involving a toy known as the dreidel, and sing popular songs about Chanukah. Some people give small gifts, such as flowers, to their loved ones throughout the Chanukah period, including the last day of Chanukah. Many people enjoy meals such as jam donuts and potato latkes, fried in oil, to remember the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days. Various types of entertainment during Chanukah include puppet shows, musical entertainment, and story-telling events.

Public life

The last day of Chanukah is not a nationwide public holiday in Australia. Many Jewish schools have their school vacation fall around the same time of Chanukah.

Background

Chanukah commemorates the Jewish people’s successful rebellion against the Syrians in the Maccabean War in 162 BCE. A ritual cleansing and re-dedication of the Temple occurred after the Jewish people’s victory. It is believed that there was only enough consecrated oil to keep the lamp burning for one day but the small bottle of oil miraculously lasted for eight days. Chanukah, also known as Hanukkah, is referred as the Feast of Lights or Festival of Lights for this reason.

Moreover, the survival of Judaism over the many years is also celebrated during this period. Chanukah is celebrated for eight days between the 25th day of the month of Kislev to the second day of Tevet in the Hebrew calendar. The first day of Chanukah marks the start of eight-day Chanukah period.  It is marked as the 25th day of the month of Kislev in the Jewish calendar. The Chanukah period ends on the second day of the month of Tevet. It is important to note that many Jewish observances begin at sunset on the day before.

Symbols

The dreidel is a toy that is popular during the Chanukah celebrations. It is a spinning top with a different Hebrew letter inscribed in each of its four sides – the four letters form an acronym meaning “a great miracle happened here”. The hanukiah (or chanukkiyah) is a type of candelabrum that holds eight candles to commemorate the eight days that the oil burned and a ninth candle that sits apart, known as the shamash, or servant candle that lights the others. One candle is lit on the first night, another on the second, and so forth until all candles are lit on the last night.

About Last day of Chanukah in other countries

Last day of Chanukah Observances

Related holiday

• First Day of Chanukah ―Sunday, December 9, 2012

Other holidays in December 2012 in Australia

• First Sunday of Advent ―Sunday, December 2, 2012
• Feast of the Immaculate Conception ―Saturday, December 8, 2012
• First Day of Chanukah ―Sunday, December 9, 2012
• December Solstice ―Friday, December 21, 2012
• Christmas Eve ―Monday, December 24, 2012
• Christmas Day ―Tuesday, December 25, 2012
• Boxing Day ―Wednesday, December 26, 2012
• New Year's Eve ―Monday, December 31, 2012