This year is slightly unusual because the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah overlaps Thanksgiving. Hanukkah begins at sunset tomorrow November 27. The two holidays have only overlapped once before since Thanksgiving was proclaimed a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln. This overlap occurred in 1888 and will occur again in the year 79,811. I am not certain that either holiday will be celebrated so far in the future. This rare occurrence has given rise to the name thanksgivukkah for the combined holidays.
In a way, it is appropriate that the two holidays come together since both are a celebration of thanks to God, though for very different reasons. Hanukkah celebrates the capture and re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Jewish rebels led by the Maccabees, while Thanksgiving began as a harvest feast by the Pilgrims to thank God for their survival in the New World. Abraham Lincoln made the holiday official in order to proclaim a day, “of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens”.
Happy Thanksgivukkah!
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- Gobble Tov! Are You Ready for Thanksgivukkah? (berries.com)
- Rare “Thanksgivukkah” – Thanksgiving & Hanukkah Converge (miami.cbslocal.com)
- Jen And Tim Get A Taste Of Thanksgivukkah (new102.cbslocal.com)
- Thanksgivukkah? Two holidays collide for first time in 100 years (bangordailynews.com)
