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Last day of Chanukah in United States

Quick Facts

The last day of Chanukah marks the end of a festive Jewish occasion, known as Chanukah or Hanukkah.

Local names

NameLanguage
Last day of ChanukahEnglish
Último Día del JánucaSpanish

Last day of Chanukah 2012

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Last day of Chanukah 2013

Thursday, December 5, 2013
Note: Jewish holidays begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday.
List of dates for other years

Many Jewish people in the United States 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 commemorate the Jewish people's struggle for religious freedom.

girl on hanukkah looking at Menorah

It is a Jewish tradition for candles to be lit during Chanukah. ©iStockphoto.com/Pavlina Richterova

What do people do?

Chanukah is one of the happiest Jewish events for many Jewish Americans. Many families light candles on the hanukiah, a type of candle holder, eat sizzling potato pancakes, give gifts and play with the dreidel, a spinning toy that is particularly popular during Chanukah.

The last day of Chanukah is the eighth day of Chanukah. It 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.

Chanukah events in the United States include daytime or evening events featuring make popular food eaten during Chanukah, particularly food fried in oil. There are also music nights reserved for singing and playing the dreidel, games events, as well as concerts and plays.

Public life

The last day of Chanukah is not a nationwide federal holiday in the United States. 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

Read more about Last day of Chanukah.

Last day of Chanukah Observances

Note: Jewish holidays begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday.
WeekdayDateYearNameHoliday typeWhere it is observed
WedDec 101980Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
MonDec 281981Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
SatDec 181982Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
ThuDec 81983Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
WedDec 261984Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
SunDec 151985Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
SatJan 31987Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
WedDec 231987Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
SunDec 111988Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
SatDec 301989Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
WedDec 191990Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
MonDec 91991Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
SunDec 271992Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
ThuDec 161993Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
MonDec 51994Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
MonDec 251995Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
FriDec 131996Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
WedDec 311997Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
MonDec 211998Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
SatDec 111999Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
FriDec 292000Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
MonDec 172001Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
SatDec 72002Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
SatDec 272003Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
WedDec 152004Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
MonJan 22006Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
SatDec 232006Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
WedDec 122007Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
MonDec 292008Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
SatDec 192009Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
ThuDec 92010Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
WedDec 282011Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
SunDec 162012Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
ThuDec 52013Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
WedDec 242014Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 
MonDec 142015Last day of ChanukahJewish holiday 

Related holiday

Other holidays in December 2012 in United States

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