No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeHappy HanukkahHappy Hanukkah from The Tico Times!

Happy Hanukkah from The Tico Times!

Happy Hanukkah from The Tico Times!

No matter where you’re celebrating, we hope you find peace and happiness during this holiday season.

The hanukkiah (Hanukkah menorah) pictured above is located in La Sabana Park, San José. The inscription reads: Las luces de Jánuca reafirman el valor universal de ser libres — “The Hanukkah lights reaffirm the universal value of being free.”

* * * *

Hanukkah, sometimes referred to as the Festival of Lights, starts on the 25th day of the month of Kislev in the lunar Jewish calendar and lasts eight days. Most years, it falls solidly in December in the secular calendar, but Hanukkah’s week-plus occasionally begins in late November and, in rare years, can spill over into early January. This year, it began at sunset on Sunday, Dec. 22 and will end at sundown on Monday, Dec. 30.

The holiday commemorates the victory by the Jewish Maccabean army over Greek occupiers in 165 B.C. and the subsequent rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem following its desecration by the invaders. Just a scant amount of clean oil was available to light the temple candelabrum for rededication ceremonies, but it burned for eight days.

This miracle evolved into the holiday’s most recognizable symbol, the eight-candled (or eight-lamped) menorah, patterned after the temple candelabrum and lit each of the eight nights in Jewish homes here in Costa Rica and around the world.

* * * *

Hanukkah sameach to all!

 

Trending Now

Cost of living in Costa Rica from a U.S. Expat

Paradise doesn’t come cheap. Cars, gas, appliances, phones, TVs often cost more in Costa Rica. But not everything. Here’s a simple, like-for-like look at...

Juanes Lands in Costa Rica to Shoot Videos for New Tracks

Colombian singer Juanes has arrived in Costa Rica, turning our country's landscapes into backdrops for his latest music videos. The artist, known for hits...

Costa Rica Coast Guard Seizes Illegal Gillnets in Protected Refuge

Costa Rican Coast Guard officers pulled nearly a kilometer of illegal gillnets from protected waters in the Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge during...

Costa Rica Faces a Must-Win for a Place in 2026 World Cup

Costa Rica's national soccer team faces a defining stretch in their bid to reach the 2026 World Cup. With just two points from their...

Costa Rica’s Hyatt Centric Escazú Finalist in GRI Awards

Costa Rica's hotel scene keeps building momentum on the global stage. The Hyatt Centric San José Escazú stands out as a finalist for Best...

Costa Rica’s FIFCO Sells Operations to Heineken After Vote

Shareholders of Costa Rica's Florida Ice and Farm Company, known as FIFCO, gave the green light on to sell most of their food, beverage,...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica