Hanukkah is coming. Beginning on December 25 and running through January 2, the Jewish Festival of Lights is a celebration of miracles, resilience, religious freedom, and oil. Jewish families worldwide recount the story of the Maccabees, ancient Jews who fought against the Greeks for their religious freedom. This small Jewish army encountered miracle after miracle: first, when they defeated the bigger, stronger Greek army, and then when the tiny, single-day’s worth of oil in the Eternal Light lasted for eight days.
This remarkable story is commemorated yearly by eight nights of lighting the Menorah, eating delicious fried foods such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts), and playing dreidel for chocolate gelt (coins).
It’s also a popular holiday for giving gifts—including books! PJ Library subscribers received free Hanukkah-themed books in their mailboxes this month, and these books, alongside plenty of others from PJ Publishing, can be found on PJ Library’s Amazon web store (amazon.com/pjlibrary) or through external book sellers. Read here for some PJ Library recommendations that are sure to delight dreidel-players of any age.