Eight Crazy Nights Trivia Quiz

Answer: Kislev

Hanukkah begins at sundown on the 25th of Kislev. Kislev is the third month of the Jewish calendar. While the Gregorian calendar is solar, the Jewish calendar is lunar. This means that they do not align the same way every year. Kislev coincides with November or December on the Gregorian calendar.

It has thirty days most years, but some years it has only twenty-nine days, similar to the Gregorian month of February.

Answer: Rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem

In 175 BC Antiochus IV, one of the kings to have power in Greece after the death of Alexander the Great, had declared himself to be Epiphanes. He forced everyone to build statues of him and worship him. Everyone had to adhere to strict Hellenism, meaning everyone had to speak Greek and follow Greek culture and religion.

Shortly after a defeat by Egypt in 169 BC, he went to Israel and was in a state of wrath from his previous defeat. Upon entering Jerusalem, he randomly killed citizens, went to the Holy Temple, stole gold and silver from it, and took the incense altar, the table, and the menorah. He forced the Jews to quit sacrificing to their God and went so far as to use the Jewish people's altar to sacrifice pigs. He forbade them to keep their kosher diet, follow the circumcision of males, or study scriptures, and anyone who disobeyed and got caught was killed.

One man, Judah, known as Judah the Maccabee (literally "Judah the Hammer"), led a revolt with a small group of men. The Syrian-Greek army thought they would harass them and it would stop them fast enough. But the according to tradition, the LORD overthrew the Syrian-Greek army. And for years, the Maccabees then fought battles against Antiochus' army. They lost battles, and they won battles. Then finally they won against great odds.

Answer: One day's oil kept the Menorah burning for eight days

The Hanukkah story is not found in the Torah as its events happened after the Torah was written. It is, however, found in the Talmud. In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, in the King James version, it says in John 10:22, "And it was at Jerusalem the feast of dedication, and it was winter." "Feast of dedication" is another name for Hanukkah.

Answer: shamash

"Shamash", or helper in English, is the candle in the middle. The menorah used at Hanukkah is technically called a "Chanukkiah". The Menorah with seven branches were in the First and Second Temples of Jerusalem. The shamash sits a bit higher or lower than the others to help identify it.

Answer: False

Lighting the candles left to right, starting from one candle and going up to eight, is one way the menorah can be lit. The candles are placed right to left (the way that Hebrew is read). However, the candles are lit left to right, so that the newest candle is the first to be lit. The goal is to let the candles burn out completely, but this is not always possible, so the rule is they must burn for at least thirty minutes if they can not burn out themselves.

According to the sage Shammai, the candles should be lit in descending order, from eight to one. Some (mostly Sephardic) families practice this custom.

Answer: Maoz Tzur

"Maoz Tzor" (also written as "Ma'oz Tzur") is a Jewish poem that is sung traditionally at Hanukkah after lighting the candles. It roughly means "Strong Rock" and refers to the Jewish God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is believed to have been written around the 12th or 13th century.

It tells the story of the Jews being freed from four major enemies: Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Haman, and Antiochus.

Answer: A great miracle happened there.

The letters transliterated in Hebrew stand for "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham." In Israel, the letter "Shin" is changed to a "Pe" on the dreidels and it stands for "A great miracle happened here."

Answer: Latkes

Latkes are especially common among the Ashkenazi Jewish people (Jewish people of Central and Northern Europe descent). Though traditionally made with potatoes, they can also be made with other ingredients such as zucchini, cheese and onions.

Answer: jelly doughnuts

Sufganiyot have been around since the 16th century. They are traditionally deep-fried and covered on top with powdered sugar. They are fluffy doughnuts. They are traditionally filled with jelly or jam, but other options can be used as well.

Answer: False

Hanukkah may be the most well-known holiday to Gentiles (that is non-Jewish people) but it's not one of their most important holidays. Rosh Hashanah (New Year's), Passover, and Yom Kippur are far more important holidays. Hanukkah is a minor festival in comparison to these.

It is perhaps well-known because it is close to Christmas. Or it may be well-known because the Maccabee story is such an exciting story.