Sydney’s Bondi Beach Attack: A terrorist attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, which killed at least 15 people, including a child, has shocked humanity. The cold-blooded attack took place on December 14 while a Jewish Hanukkah festival event was underway. While Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney “shocking and distressing”, the Israeli leadership slammed the Australian government for not taking heed of the warnings against anti-semitism.
Now, what is Hanukkah, the Diwali-like Jewish festival targeted by the Pakistani father–son terror duo? Here is a look at Hanukkah and its similarities with the Indian festival of Diwali.
What is Hanukkah? Diwali-like Jewish festival- Dates, History, Traditions
Hanukkah – also written as Chanukah – is a Jewish holiday known as the “Festival of Lights”. It is observed for eight nights, during which families and friends come together to light candles on a menorah, adding one candle each evening. The event which is also known as festival of lights like Diwali.
According to tradition, only a small amount of pure oil was found in the Temple to light the menorah. It was enough for just one day, but the flame burned for eight days. This miracle is remembered by lighting candles each night and by eating food cooked in oil, such as potato pancakes called latkes.
This year, Hanukkah began at sunset on Sunday, December 14, and will end after nightfall on Monday, December 22.
Hanukkah 2025: How It’s Celebrated?
Lighting the Menorah: During each night of Hanukkah, Jewish families light the menorah, a nine-branched candelabrum. One branch, the shamash (helper candle), is used to light the other eight candles. On each night of the holiday, blessings are recited, and the menorah is usually displayed in a window to share the miracle with the world.
Dreidel Game: Children play with a spinning top called a dreidel. It has four Hebrew letters: Nun, Gimel, Hei, and Shin. These letters mean “A great miracle happened there.” In Israel, the last letter is Pey, which means “A great miracle happened here.”
Traditional Foods: Hanukkah foods are linked to the use of oil. People eat latkes, which are potato pancakes, and sufganiyot, which are jelly-filled doughnuts. Both are fried in oil. Some people also eat dairy foods to honour Judith, a woman linked to Jewish resistance.
Gifts and Gelt: Many families give gifts during Hanukkah, often one each night. Children also receive Hanukkah gelt, which are chocolate coins or small amounts of money.
