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Like most of you, before a holiday, I always plan activities, crafts, special meals, etc. Hanukkah’s no exception. Traditions are wonderful for teaching and bringing everyone together but they do take more time and effort, which can be difficult during a time when more our schedules are full.
I used this recipe for our Hanukkah latkes one year when finding the time to shred potatoes and make latkes from scratch seemed overwhelming. But my family loved it so much that it’s become the one we use every year! No judgement to those of you making your latkes the old fashioned way but here’s a recipe for those of us who welcome a shortcut!
This recipe feeds a crowd! It makes about 30-ish medium latkes. I have a crowd to feed at my house but you’ll have to cut this recipe down if you have only a few people.
I’ve heard these can be made in the air fryer too. If you try it, let me know in the comments how they come out!
Bonus: Here’s a hilarious song to listen to while you cook your latkes!
30 c shredded potatoes (3 30 oz bags shredded hash brown potatoes)
2-1/2 c diced onions
2 c (or so) oil
Directions
Mix all ingredients well except the oil.
Shape into pancakes 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick and 6 inches diameter (that’s about 2 cm thick and 15 cm diameter for you scientific types or those outside the US 🙂 ).
Fry in about 1 inch of oil until crispy.
Place on a paper-towel lined plate and serve with applesauce or sour cream.
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When Christian families embrace the celebration of Hanukkah as a tradition, we must remember that it’s our job to pass our faith on to our children. Hanukkah (or the Feast of Dedication) is a beautiful way to proclaim our God’s attribute of faithfulness and get the whole family involved! Check out my calendarfor the dates of Hanukkah this year.
Obviously, use your best judgment with the degree of participation of little ones, but this most common Hanukkah tradition is great for kids to see. Each night of Hanukkah, another candle is lit on the Hanukkiah (9-branched menorah for Hanukkah). On night 1, the Shamash (helper candle that lights the others) is lit and lights the first. On the second night, the Shamash lights candles 1 and 2, and so on.
Candle lighting is a time to talk to kids about why you’re celebrating Hanukkah and how it relates to our Messiah, Jesus. You can take advantage of the time you have their attention and read the story of Jesus on Hanukkah (see below).
The Story of Hanukkah covers the miracles of Hanukkah and even has a latke recipe and instructions for the dreidel game!
My little ones LOVE sticker books! Here’s an adorable Hanukkah-themed sticker and activity book, Ella and Noah Celebrate Hanukkah. It’s sure to keep little hands busy or help them stay quiet during services.
Almost any age can participate in the dreidel game! It’s simple, yet it always turns out to be a good time. Using candy coins is our favorite way to play, but you could use whatever small candy or numerous items you have around the house as tokens.
A dreidel has four sides, with 4 Hebrew letters on them, nun (נ), gimmel (ג), hay (ה), and shin (שׁ). These letters stand for “Nes gadol hayah sham” or “A great miracle happened there.” This statement references the miracles from the Hanukkah story – the victory of the Maccabees and the miracle of the oil.
Here’s how to play:
Each player must start the game with an equal number of tokens.
To begin each round, each player puts one token into the pot (the middle). The first player spins the dreidel once and follows the directions, depending on which side of the dreidel is up when it stops spinning.
If nun (נ) is showing, the player gets nothing, and their turn is over.
Gimmel (ג) means the player gets the entire pot!
Hay (ה) entitles the player to half of the pot’s contents (if there’s an odd number, take half plus one).
If the shin (שׁ) side is up, the player must put one token in the pot.
If the pot has one or less during the game, each player puts one token in to keep the game going.
When a player runs out of tokens, they are “out.”
The winner is the one who gets all the tokens, ending that round of the game.
There are crafts and many other activities in the book A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays. This book has educational activities for the other Biblical holidays as well.
And while we’re on the subject of online printable crafts, here’s a printable dreidel for your kids to color, cut out, and glue to make a paper dreidel they can really use!
There’s also a Custom Dreidel Craft Kit for your little crafters. It comes with an unfinished wooden dreidel, paint, and a paintbrush. The design opportunities are endless!
Hanukkah Recipes
Traditionally, the foods eaten at Hanukkah are those fried in oil. While I’m all for kids helping in the kitchen, I recommend you leave them out of the frying process for safety reasons. You know your kids best – use your best judgment on how and where to include them.
Here’s a hint to all my fellow busy moms: I’ve used packaged and frozen shredded hash brown potatoes as a shortcut for this recipe, and they’ve turned out great! Here’s the recipe: Busy Mom’s Cheater Latke Recipe
This recipe is made with child participation in mind! It has which portions of the recipe kids can do marked as such, along with those better done by an adult.
You can use the above link to make them from scratch, but there’s also a shortcut. You can use flaky crescent roll dough, fill it with Nutella, and bake it according to the package instructions. Yum!
There are so many possibilities when it comes to sugar cookies, and kids are always willing to help with this one. You can use these Hanukkah Cookie Cutters and this frosting recipe to decorate or just add blue and white sprinkles.
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We celebrate Hanukkah (or the Feast of Dedication) in our Christian home to focus on God’s omnipotence and faithfulness to His people. As Christians, we also celebrate the re-dedication of our lives due to the cleansing of our hearts through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. If the thought of Christians celebrating Hanukkah is new to you, I invite you to read John 10:22-42 when Jesus observes Hanukkah at the Temple in Jerusalem, and check out this other post on Hanukkah and Christians.
Would you like to create a tradition of celebrating Hanukkah in your Christian home? You can find the dates of Hanukkah here, and below are ten ideas to get you started!
1. Praise God
The themes of Hanukkah are rich with shows of God’s power or omnipotence. His omnipotence is the attribute of God that shows His limitless ability to do, well, anything He wants! He is all-powerful, and this is shown when He caused the Jewish people to have victory over their Syrian rulers. The story goes that He miraculously allowed one day’s worth of oil to burn for eight days until more could be made for the Temple menorah.
God’s faithfulness to His people is the other central theme. Despite great persecution, God preserved His people, just as He always said He would. The circumstances were impossible, but God made it happen anyway. He showed that He stands with His people and keeps the promises He makes to them.
But it’s not just in the story of Hanukkah that we see these themes. They’re throughout the bible in both the Old and New Testaments, and if you’re paying attention, you’ll see them in your life and those around you. He is all-powerful, and he can do absolutely anything. And He’s always, always faithful to His people. He was then, He is now, and He will be forever. Now THAT’s worth celebrating!
2. Read His Word
Here are a few scripture selections to read to bring your focus onto the themes of Hanukkah:
While the story of Hanukkah isn’t in the Protestant bible, you can still read it for yourself. It’s found in the first and second books of the Maccabees. Since most Protestants don’t have a copy, here’s a link to the books of the Maccabees where you can read the whole story behind the celebration of Hanukkah.
4. Light the Menorah
Lighting the menorah is by far the most common tradition during Hanukkah. The menorah used during Hanukkah isn’t the same as the one used in the Temple – a seven-branch menorah or lampstand, as it’s called in most translations. The one used during Hanukkah is called a Hanukkiah. Instead of 7, it has nine branches to hold nine candles, one for each of Hanukkah’s eight nights, and one to light the others, called the shamash.
One candle is lit each night, using the candle in the tallest candleholder to light the others. They’re traditionally lit from left to right, and a new candle is added to the Hanukkiah on the right side each night. A blessing is usually said as the candles are lit.
5. Cook in Oil
Dishes served during Hanukkah are usually those cooked in oil to remember the story of the oil miracle in the Temple Menorah. Two of the most well-known are potato pancakes called latkes and jelly doughnuts called sufganiyot.
6. Play Dreidel
While this tradition probably has little to do with the history of Hanukkah, it’s a fun game to play during this celebration that will entertain adults and children. Besides a few (2 or more) fun friends or family members, two things are necessary to enjoy playing Dreidel. A dreidel and something to use as chips or tokens, such as chocolate coins, also called gelt.
A dreidel has four sides, with 4 Hebrew letters on them: nun (נ), gimmel (ג), hay (ה), and shin (שׁ). These letters stand for “Nes gadol hayah sham” or “A great miracle happened there.”
Here’s how to play.
Each player must start the game with an equal number of tokens or chips (this can be almost anything small and numerous. My family has used pennies and M&Ms, but we like chocolate coins best).
To begin each round, each player puts one token into the pot (the middle). The first player spins the dreidel once and follows the directions, depending on which side of the dreidel is up when it stops spinning.
If nun (נ) is showing, the player gets nothing, and their turn is over. Gimmel (ג) means the player gets the entire pot! Hay (ה) entitles the player to half of the pot’s contents (if there’s an odd number, take half plus one). If the shin (שׁ) side is up, the player must put one token in the pot.
If the pot has one or less during the game, each player puts one token in to keep the game going.
When a player runs out of tokens, they are “out.”
The winner is the one who gets all the tokens, ending that round of the game.
7. Give Gifts
Gift-giving is another Hanukkah tradition that isn’t rooted in history. It’s a specifically American tradition, probably resulting from Hanukkah’s proximity to Christmas on our calendar. Some families give one gift each night of Hanukkah, and some even hide them to make it even more fun!
8. Decorate Your Home
Aside from your menorah, the options for decorating your home during Hanukkah are endless. I’ve seen creative and beautiful Hanukkah decorations to complement any décor. We’ve made garlands out of these Stars and usually have one of these Happy Hanukkah banners hanging around the house.
9. Make Some Cookies
We have a tradition of baking and decorating cookies this time of year, and how we do that has morphed over the years. We have settled on a beautiful combination of menorahs and stars of David, mixed with crosses, to reflect our faith and what we celebrate this time of year.
Hanukkah, Chanukah, Hanukah, or Chanukkah – how is it spelled? Well, none of these are precisely correct because the Hebrew word, meaning “to dedicate” in remembrance of the re-dedication of the Temple, is spelled חֲנֻכָּה.
The first letter, chet, is guttural and has no equivalent sound in English. It’s pronounced in the back of your throat like the sound the “ch” makes at the end of “Bach.” Go ahead. Give it a try – Chanukkah.
Greet your Hanukkah guests with style! The standard greeting used during Hanukkah in English is “Happy Hanukkah!”. In Hebrew, it’s “Hanukkah Sameach” (Chan-uh-kuh Sam-ay-ach).
If you plan on celebrating a Christian Hanukkah tradition in your home, these ten ideas should get you started. However you celebrate, ensure God gets all the glory for His infinite power and faithfulness to His people!
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You may have heard that many Christians celebrate Hanukkah. Although it’s most commonly known as a Jewish holiday, Hanukkah is relevant to the Christian faith. Aside from Jesus himself celebrating Hanukkah in the bible (John 10:22-23), the themes and story behind Hanukkah are reasons for every Christian to celebrate – the power and faithfulness of our God. As grafted in children of God, we can embrace this holiday as part of our history and tradition, just as Jesus did.
History
The Jewish people were under Syrian Hellenistic rule between the Old and New Testaments, around 165 BC. Antiochus IV was the leader of the Seleucid Empire at the time. Under his control, Jewish traditions were outlawed, including Sabbath keeping, adherence to a Kosher diet, and circumcision. Idols were set up in the Temple, and pigs were rumored to have been sacrificed on the Temple altar. Among the punishments for observance of Jewish traditions were death and torture.
Rather than face brutal punishment, many Jews assimilated with Hellenistic culture. Some evaded their Syrian leaders by hiding in the hills and caves of Judea. A small number of Jews led by Judah Maccabee decided to revolt. Despite the overwhelming opposition, they courageously stood up for their God, His Word, and His Temple. They were miraculously victorious despite being vastly outnumbered!
After the battles, the Jewish people removed the idols from the Temple and put the menorah back in place. But when they went to light the menorah, only one day’s worth of oil was left, and making more was an 8-day process. The story goes that one day’s worth of oil continued to burn for eight days until new oil was ready for use, another Hanukkah miracle.
History vs. Tradition
The story of the Maccabean revolt is found in the books of the Maccabees. These writings are not included in the Protestant bible, but the writings of the historian Josephus support the oppression of the Jewish people and the outcome of the revolt.
The traditional part of the story is the part about the oil. This story isn’t recorded in the books of the Maccabees or other historical sources but in the Talmud (Shabbat 21b), the written form of the Oral Torah. It’s been passed down by Jewish people for thousands of years and is the miracle that’s the focus of the celebration of Hanukkah.
Jesus and Hanukkah
We find Jesus at the Temple during the celebration of Hanukkah, or the Feast of Dedication, in the book of John, verses 10:22-23. Many people traveled to the Temple in Jerusalem during Hanukkah, as with many biblical holidays. Jesus is also shown visiting the Temple and walking through Solomon’s portico during the festival of Hanukkah in the Book of John.
At this time, Jews gathered around him and asked him to tell them if he was the Messiah. He replied that he already had, as well as performed works in God’s name but that they didn’t believe him. They were expecting the Messiah to save them from Roman rule, but Jesus said he was there to offer them eternal life instead. He said that he and God are one, and they attempted to stone him because they didn’t believe his claim and thought him blasphemous. Nonetheless, it was during Hanukkah that he chose to reveal his deity.
Why Some Christians Celebrate
Usually, the Christians that celebrate Hanukkah are either in a household of mixed faith (Jewish and Christian) or lean toward the beliefs of the Hebrew Roots Movement. Here are a few different reasons for Christian Hanukkah observation.
Alternative to Christmas
Some Christians have an issue celebrating Christmas as a Holy day for God because there is no mention of it in the bible. Moreover, the pagan roots and traditions woven throughout the Christmas holiday call into question whether the followers of God should be engaging in the holiday. More and more Christians are finding biblical meaning in celebrating Jesus’s coming to Earth by celebrating Sukkot or Hanukkah instead.
Many feel that Jesus’s Jewish culture and appearance at the Temple during Hanukkah show that he celebrated Hanukkah himself. They also see his declaration that he and God are one during Hanukkah as a sign that we are to re-dedicate ourselves to God through him.
To celebrate a historical event where God’s
Glory was shown
Although we can (and should!) celebrate God’s Glory and faithfulness every day, Hanukkah celebrates a time when His Glory was shown, and His promise kept in a specific and miraculous way.
To celebrate a victory of God’s people
When God seeks to accomplish what we see as impossible, He can and will do just that. During Hanukkah, He showed He brought victory to His people as they were outnumbered and stood against a powerful, experienced army. God’s power is a theme throughout the bible as God’s miracles point to Him and His omnipotence because they occur under circumstances that would otherwise make them impossible. This theme also runs through the book of Esther, which is what the celebration of Purim is about.
To celebrate the re-dedication of themselves
(temples) upon indwelling of the Holy Spirit
Paul tells us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. When we accept Jesus as our savior, his blood cleanses us of our sin, and we re-dedicate our lives to following him. His Spirit can then live in us, the purified and re-dedicated temples.
Common Hanukkah Traditions
Lighting of the Hanukkiah
The menorah used during the celebration of Hanukkah isn’t the same as the one used in the Temple, which has seven branches. For Hanukkah, the menorah used is called a Hanukkiah and has nine branches, with eight candles, one for each night of Hanukkah, and one candle to light the others, called the Shamash.
Foods
Traditional foods served during Hanukkah are those cooked in oil. Potato pancakes called latkes, and a type of jelly doughnut called sufganiyot are two popular Hanukkah dishes.
Gift-giving is a primarily American Hanukkah tradition, probably due to the Hanukkah and Christmas seasons often overlapping. While some families give gifts during Hanukkah, this practice has no biblical or historical tradition. Many families give one gift for each night of Hanukkah, and some hide them as a challenge to the recipients.
The Dreidel Game
Although it’s been around for centuries, this game is so much fun! I’ve heard a few theories about why and how this game started, but it most likely has little historical significance. It’s a simple game, but kids and adults can get into it despite its simplicity! You’ll need a dreidel and something to use as tokens or chips to play. Many people use chocolate coins (gelt), but our family has used everything from pennies to M&Ms.
Here’s how to play: Give each player 10-15 coins or whatever you use as tokens. Each player puts one coin into the middle, the “pot.” Each player takes a turn spinning the dreidel. Whichever side is face-up when the dreidel stops will determine whether the player that spun it puts coins into or takes coins from the pot. Gimmel (ג): Take all of the coins in the pot. Hey (ה): Take 1/2 of the coins in the pot. If there’s an odd number of coins, take 1/2 plus 1. Shin (שׁ): Put one coin into the pot. Rolling a shin sometimes prompts the rhyme “Shin, shin, put one in!” from the other players. Nun (נ) The player gets nothing, and the turn goes to the next player. If you run out of coins, you’re out. The winner is the one with all the coins at the end of the game.
I know dedicated Christians on both sides of this conversation. Most don’t celebrate Hanukkah, but some do and say that it’s a tradition that enriches their Christian faith. If you’re wondering if you should celebrate it, the first step should be to pray. Ask God any time you add or dispose of traditions that relate to your faith and how He would like for you to go about doing that. Whether your traditions are Godly or worldly or motivated by your desire to give glory to Him or yourself will be reflected in those traditions, so choose carefully and prayerfully which and how you take part.
Whether you celebrate Hanukkah or not, make sure the main themes of Hanukkah are evident in your faith and your life. God keeps His promises by protecting His people, and His ability and willingness to show His power through miracles should cause us to give all praise and glory to Him!
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As many families decide to observe the Biblical Holy Days in order to embrace the Hebrew roots of our faith, we look for ways to include our children so we can pass our faith on through them.
It seems that God had the kids in mind when He gave His people the commands for the Holy Days. Their multi-sensory celebrations serve as tangible reminders of what God has done in the past and will do in the future! Sukkot is a rich time for kids as we build and hang out in an outdoor enclosure – something children love to do any day!
Crafts not only provide kids with a hands-on learning experience, and they also make lovely decorations for your sukkah! Here are some creative ways to get all ages involved.
Building an edible sukkah may be my kids’ favorite Sukkot activity. They talk about it all year! We use the instructions at the link above as a base, then get pretty crazy, adding candy, cilantro for the roof, you name it. We even molded furniture out of Starbursts one year!
This idea from PJ Library uses the unique types of decorative gourds plentiful this time of year. Your kids could use googly eyes, paint, yarn, or whatever else you have around the house. The possibilities are endless!
This one from the Chabad’s Kids’ Page is a classic but still ends up being one of our favorites! Combine them with these Sukkah Decoration Cut-outs for a great addition to your sukkah!
And while you’re cutting lots of paper strips for those chains, you may as well make some of these adorable Paper Strip Fruits out of them too!
These would be fun sukkah decorations! You could make them into a garland or hang them around your sukkah for a colorful touch. You could also follow these simple instructions from ReformJudaism.org for Free-Form Foil Fruit!
A citron is a citrus fruit used during Sukkot, as mentioned in Leviticus 23:40 and Nehemiah 8:14-15. In Hebrew, it’s called an Etrog (אֶתְרוֹג, pronounced “eht-rōg”).
Sammy is the star in many cute books as he learns about Jewish traditions and holidays. In this one, he learns about Sukkot from the roof of the Shapiro family’s sukkah.
My children use many of the Bible Pathway Adventures Activity Books. They contain activities for a range of ages (6-12 years is stated, but some activities are suitable for younger ones as well).
I’ve used Parsha Pearls for my kids to study the weekly Torah Portions; they’re a great resource! Their Feast Day editions are similar, with both fun and educational activities. Here’s a video of one of their Sukkot crafts, the Sukkah Hand Puppet.
No holiday meal is complete without challah bread. And children LOVE to help make it! For a fall twist, try this Pumpkin Challah recipe from Tori Avey. from Tori Avey.
Delicious for breakfast, dessert, or in between, this is one of my favorites. It’s easy enough to make that the kids can help, or older ones could even make it themselves!
Gyros are another of my family’s favorites! Stuff the ingredients into pita bread and top with Tzatziki sauce (recipe included in the Gyro link above).
Whatever you choose to celebrate Sukkot with your children, don’t do what I sometimes do – get wrapped up in the activities and neglect the purpose! The celebration of Sukkot should introduce our children to a God who provides. As He provided for the Hebrew people in the desert, He provides for us, and He provided a Savior so we can be near to God despite our sin! What a beautiful reason to celebrate! Chag Sameach!
This post contains affiliate links. I only advertise items I personally recommend and may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases. For more information, visit our Affiliate Information Page.
In a festival similar to Thanksgiving, the Biblical feast of Sukkot (pronounced sue-COAT) gives us a chance to focus on our blessings from God and His desire to be with His people. Also called the Feast of Booths, Tabernacles, or Ingathering, it’s one of the seven commanded feasts in Leviticus 23. Sukkot was also when Jesus revealed himself as the source of Living Water for those who believed in him! Also, the events that occur when Jesus rides into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday are directly related to the festival of Sukkot. I promise, after understanding the festival of Sukkot, you will never look at Palm Sunday the same again.
Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the Lord. On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind. For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the Lord; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work.
‘On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the Lord for seven days, with a rest on the first day and a rest on the eighth day. Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall live in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths, so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”
Sukkot is the last feast listed in Leviticus 23. Just five days after the very somber Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, it’s the most joyful of the biblical Holy Days. Part of its biblical command is that we’re supposed to “rejoice before the LORD .” Really though, with all He’s done for us, we should all welcome an excuse to be joyful before Him!
On the Biblical calendar, the 15th day of the month of Tishrei is when Sukkot starts, and it continues until Tishrei 22. On our Gregorian calendar, this is in September or October. Here’s a calendar of the dates of the Holy Days for reference.
Sukkot in the Old Testament
Sukkot is one of three festivals for which a pilgrimage to The Temple in Jerusalem was made, along with Passover and Shavuot.
Sukkot is called the Feast of Ingathering in Exodus 34:22. It occurs at the same time as the wheat harvest in Israel, so it’s the perfect timing for a harvest festival. The reason God gave for commanding the Israelites to celebrate Sukkot was for them to remember God’s provision and their dependence on Him.
“You shall live in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths, so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
In 1st Kings, King Solomon had the priests bring the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple during the Feast of Sukkot. How appropriate it is that this Ark, which represented and housed the presence of God, was brought into His Temple, the place He was to dwell with His people, during Sukkot!
Ezra and Nehemiah recount a time when the Temple was restored, and so was Israel’s adherence to the commands of God. Both books discuss the people returning to the Feast of Sukkot because of the Temple’s restoration and their commitment to follow God’s command.
In Jesus’s time, two practices were performed annually at the Temple during Sukkot.
One was a water ceremony, in which the priest would lead everyone to the pool of Siloam, fill a golden pitcher, and pour it out as a type of sacrifice in the courtyard of the Temple. People would then wave their palm branches (lulavot – more on this below) and shout, “Save now, I pray, oh LORD; oh LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.”
Jesus was in Jerusalem on Sukkot, fulfilling the command to celebrate this feast there (John 7:2). To an audience very familiar with this ceremony, Jesus chose Sukkot to foretell the pouring out of the water – the Spirit – on those who follow him!
Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'”
In the other ceremony at the Temple during Sukkot, the people would wave the lulav (palm branch) and have a procession around the Temple, shouting “Hosannah” or “Please save us .” Sound familiar? We’ve all heard of when Jesus was on his way into Jerusalem before Passover during the week of his crucifixion, and the people did this. They waved palm branches because they recognized Jesus as the one who would save them. For over a thousand years, the Israelites had observed Sukkot and celebrated God’s provision when Jesus came along. Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem is recorded in 3 books – Matthew, Luke, and John. Although the people of Jerusalem knew Jesus was there to save them, they didn’t recognize that he would save them from the condemnation of their sin and that that was a more significant threat than the people in power around them who thought he was there to rescue them from.
Some propose that Jesus was born during Sukkot, which, if true, would mean he was conceived during Hanukkah. Though the bible doesn’t confirm this, it would enhance the concept that Jesus is God dwelling with us (John 1:14) since this is part of what we celebrate during Sukkot. It would also make sense that the Light of the World was conceived during Hanukkah, the festival commemorating the rededication of the Temple and the lighting of the Temple menorahs where God would dwell among His people.
Sukkot Today
Celebrated for seven days in Israel and eight outside, Sukkot is a harvest festival and a time to remember how God provided for the Israelites in the desert. God’s dwelling among His people is also celebrated during the week of Sukkot.
The procession mentioned above around the Temple is often replicated in Jewish congregations today. They wave the lulav and etrog (citron fruit) and shout, “Hosannah.” This practice is done at synagogues worldwide instead of a procession around the Temple in Jerusalem.
The Sukkah
The most common thing to do during Sukkot today is to build a Sukkah. The word “sukkah” is a Hebrew word meaning “booth” or “tabernacle.” It’s generally a small tent-like shelter with at least three sides and a roof made of plant material. It’s supposed to resemble the dwellings of the Israelites when they were living and wandering in the desert as newly free people of God. People often decorate their sukkah with artwork as well as the four species. And sukkah plural is… get ready for it… sukkot, which is where this appointed time got its name.
The command says that God’s people are to “live” in the sukkah during the week of Sukkot. Although some abandon their homes entirely during this time and live completely in a sukkah, most just have their meals there. Some people take the week of Sukkot to go camping, which is an excellent way to fulfill the commandment and re-live the lifestyle of the Israelite desert-dwellers.
A sukkah also reminds us that God chose to dwell – or tabernacle – with His people. We often read about it but seldom stop to let that sink in. The God that created the universe and is Himself the Holiest being that ever existed chose to dwell on earth with His people – physically and through Jesus’s life on earth! If that doesn’t give you chills, sit and think about it for a while. It’s incredible that He would choose to do this and that it actually occurred. What an awesome God we have!
As mentioned in Leviticus 23:40 as well as Nehemiah 8:14-15, there are four species associated with Sukkot. The first is the lulav (plural is lulavot), a palm branch. The second, the etrog, is a lemon-like fruit also called a citron. The third is the aravot, a willow branch, and the last is Hadassah or myrtle. These four species represent Israel’s unity and the land’s harvest and fertility.
During Sukkot, these are waved or shaken in all six directions (North, South, East, West, up, and down), signifying that God is everywhere. A blessing accompanies this custom, thanking God for the harvest, and praises are also sung.
In the Future
Kingdom of God
Many places in the bible tell us that there will be a day when God will physically dwell with us again. Ezekiel prophesies that God will dwell in His eternal sanctuary with us and make a covenant of peace with us.
Revelation 7:9-10 will give you goosebumps. It predicts a time when God’s people will stand before His throne, our lulavs in our hands, and worship him together. Wow! What a fantastic picture of the future we’re given!
The Eighth Day
Also known as Shemini Atzeret, this is the last of the commanded feasts in Leviticus 23. It’s celebrated the day after the last day of Sukkot, and this day is considered more spiritual than the previous seven days.
Traditions on the Eighth Day differ. The sukkah may or may not be used, and the four species are not waved. Different blessings are used on this day than the others commonly said during Sukkot.
Would you like to celebrate Sukkot? There are many traditions a Christian can keep that bring the concepts of Sukkot to the forefront. The basic commands are: gather the four species (Lev. 23:40), rejoice before the LORD (Lev. 23:40, Deut. 16:13-14), dwell in a sukkah (Lev. 23:42), and visit the Temple in Jerusalem (Ex. 23:14-17, 34:18-23, Deut. 16:16-17).
Visit Jerusalem
Christians around the world visit Jerusalem during Sukkot. If you’re planning a trip to Israel, this may be something to consider! Other great (and very crowded) times are Passover and Shavuot.
Build a Sukkah
You can purchase ready-made sukkahs online, but you can also build a simple one, just like the Israelites did in the desert. Your children would probably love to help you decorate it! Some people camp out during Sukkot, their tent serving as their sukkah. Eating meals in the sukkah is customary, but sleeping in it adds a realistic element as we remember God’s provision for the Israelites in the desert.
Get a Lulav and Etrog
The phrase “lulav and etrog” may include all four species but is commonly called the lulav and etrog. You can order them online before Sukkot, but check that the delivery date is before Sukkot starts!
Thank God
Thank Him for how He has lavishly blessed you and for sending Jesus to dwell among us. We can also thank Him for His promise to dwell with us in the future, which we surely do not deserve! The list of things we can thank Him for could go on forever.
Spend Time in the Word
Ecclesiastes is commonly read during Sukkot, so that’s a great place to start! Some places to read about the Feast of Sukkot are:
Exodus 34:22
Leviticus 23:34-44
Deuteronomy 16:13-17
1 Kings 8:2
2 Chronicles 8:13 and 31:3
Ezra 3:4
Nehemiah 8:13-18
Zechariah 14:16-19
John 1:14-18 and 7:2, 37-38
Revelation 7:9-10
Sing Praises
We can not only thank God through prayer but also through our worship of Him. Any day’s a great day to worship God, but Sukkot should make us focused on being grateful. He loves to hear from His people, so don’t disappoint Him! Worship is what these days are set aside for.
Teach Your Children
All of the biblical feast days have valuable lessons in their observance. Sukkot is no exception, and children will love to be involved! Aside from participating in the building and decorating of the sukkah, here are a few more ways kids can learn about and participate in Sukkot.
As we thank God for His generosity toward us, we can also extend it to those around us. Find a place to serve or a charity to donate to, and make sure your family knows why you’re giving.
Invite friends
Sukkot is a time for celebrating God’s goodness. What better excuse could there be to throw a party? Invite some friends to hang out in your sukkah and make a special meal. You could even celebrate with only your family, but remember the focus of your celebration!
Wish others a “Chag Sameach!”
The standard greeting during Sukkot is “Chag Sameach!” meaning “joyful festival.” It’s pronounced HOG sa-may-ach, with the first part of “HOG” starting in your throat, like the ending of Bach. In the U.S., people often say “Happy Sukkot” as well.
Be joyful!
Although the celebration of Sukkot is commanded, it’s not something we should do with a “have to” attitude. Part of the command is to be joyful, and how could we not when we focus on all God has done for us? From shelter to Jesus, we are some super blessed people!
A Thanksgiving celebration of sorts, Sukkot is a time Christians can give thanks for God’s provision for us and focus on our dependence on Him. We can also remember that He loves us enough to desire to be with us, even giving us Jesus to provide a way for us to be near Him and the Holy Spirit to be with us at all times. What an excellent way to celebrate these things! Chag Sameach and Happy Sukkot!
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Observing the Biblical Holy Days is a rich experience for Christians, and Yom Kippur is no exception. Most of us are familiar with the themes of atonement and repentance of this Feast Day.
But what about fasting? Traditionally, Yom Kippur is observed with a 25-hour fast. Do we have to fast to celebrate it? What are the benefits of fasting?
How is Fasting Related to Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur is also known as the Day of Atonement. In the time of the Temple, it was a time to bring a sacrifice to atone for, or “cover,” sin. As Christians, we know that Jesus was the sacrifice that atoned for our sin once and for all! On Yom Kippur, we can both focus on repentance for sin and on our Savior, who took that sin upon himself on the cross.
The command for Yom Kippur in Leviticus 23:26-32 says to “humble your souls.” Humble can also be translated as “afflict.” While the Hebrew word used here could be translated a few different ways, all of them are unpleasant and uncomfortable, to the degree that even your soul is somehow involved in this significant discomfort.
So, while fasting isn’t directly commanded. It is an affliction that humbles and can even affect your soul. If you haven’t done it before, I’ll tell you – fasting is challenging! You have to set your mind against what your body desperately wants. It takes much discipline and is not much fun at all.
So that brings us to the question – why fast?
Benefits of Fasting for Christians
Despite how difficult and uncomfortable it is, there are significant benefits to our faith through fasting. While there are notable health benefits to fasting, that shouldn’t be the goal of a fast on Yom Kippur. The goal should be to achieve a state of humility and repentance, not to focus on the body but on the state of the heart.
It makes us want to cry out to God.
In our comfortable lives, we don’t often happen upon the times that make us desperately cry out to God. This lack of need is a blessing, of course, but it also keeps us in a state where we may not come before God in a weakened, humble state of need. Fasting removes one of the comforts we take for granted, and we can turn each hunger pang into a reminder to go before God in humble prayer.
As we respond to our hunger with prayer, we open a conversation that may have previously been one-sided, brief, inconsistent, or non-existent. The feeling of an empty stomach is a constant reminder of why we’re fasting and brings our focus back to God. Twenty-five hours of turning our attention toward Him humbly makes us better listeners. It can remove what was previously in the way of hearing what God wants to say to us so we can listen to Him more clearly.
It reminds us who our provider is.
Since most of us don’t regularly go without food or other necessities, we can forget where it comes from or credit ourselves with providing it. Fasting brings to mind just how blessed we are to have the option to eat when we’re hungry. God provides above and beyond what we need, and denying ourselves for a while puts that in perspective. Fasting is a humbling reminder that we come before a mighty God who always has our lives in His hands.
It brings out our spiritual side.
Throughout each day of our lives, we tend to our physical needs and wants. We bathe, rest, brush our teeth, apply lotions, etc. But an entire day of fasting causes us to turn on the physical and focus on the spiritual. One wise Jewish source said that we become like angels for a day since they don’t have physical needs like eating. Our stomachs tell us we need food, but we quiet them, acknowledging that we need God more.
Fasting on Yom Kippur can cause us to shift our focus from ourselves and our physical needs to our God and Savior. This Holy Day allows us to take a break from everyday life to humble ourselves before our great Provider. We use that time to repent of our sin and express gratitude for a Savior sacrificed to pay for it.
If you plan to observe Yom Kippur this year, check out the Holy Branches Calendar for the correct dates.
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Yom Kippur is considered a primarily Jewish holiday and is even called the Holiest Holy Day of the year on the Hebrew calendar! Yet the number of Christians celebrating Yom Kippur (the day of atonement for sin) is growing. What does this biblical Holy Day have to do with the Christian faith?
Through our Biblical roots, Christians can bring the Biblical Holy Days into their faith and make these traditions their own. We can further follow our Rabbi Jesus and enrich our faith by obeying the Biblical commands of his Father, which he obeyed, including the observance of Yom Kippur.
A Biblical Holy Day
In Leviticus 23, commands for observing seven Feast Days are listed. This list is also found in Numbers 29:7-11.
”The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the Lord. You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the Lord your God. If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath.’”
Yom Kippur is to be observed on the 10th day of the month of Tishrei on the Biblical calendar. Biblical days are from evening to evening instead of morning to morning (Gen. 1:5), so Yom Kippur starts on the evening of the 9th day of Tishrei. It occurs in September or October on our Gregorian calendar. It comes ten days after Rosh Hashanah (Yom Teruah in Hebrew). The ten days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur are called the Days of Awe.
Called Yom HaKippurim (literally, the day of coverings, cancelings, pardonings, or reconcilings) in Hebrew, the command includes a holy convocation, humbling or afflicting the soul, offering sacrifices, and taking the day as a Sabbath. In the Old Testament, it was the one time of the year when the high priest offered a sacrifice to atone for his sin and that of the people of Israel. You can find the detailed procedure for this in Leviticus 16.
Blood Sacrifice
Throughout the Bible, it’s clear that all sin separates us from God and leads to death. A blood sacrifice is the only way to pardon or atone for our sin.
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.”
These verses show just how vital this Day of Atonement was in the days before Jesus! Yom Kippur was the only day the priest could offer this type of sacrifice and the only time throughout the year that the Israelites could have their sins forgiven on a corporate level.
Yom Kippur Observation Today
Orthodox Jews consider the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur a time of judgment. The belief is that on Rosh Hashanah, God writes the names of the righteous in the Book of Life, and those that are evil are listed in the Book of Death. Whether or not one’s name will be recorded in the Book of Life can be affected by their actions during this 10-day period.
On this somber day, referred to as a Great Sabbath or High Sabbath, Jewish people practice a 25-hour fast. They also attend synagogue services where specific prayers are said and scriptures are read. They focus on repentance for sin from God and others and examine their life to see where changes need to be made to move toward righteousness.
As Christians, we have accepted the gift of Jesus as the single, eternal sacrifice that atones for our sin. Because of this, we no longer need to seek atonement as individuals. Instead of making Yom Kippur irrelevant to us, this makes this Holy Day even more meaningful!
On Yom Kippur, we can celebrate because our sins have been atoned for once and for all by Jesus. Yom Kippur also moves us to sadness because there are still those who have not yet turned to him. We should have remorse over our sin and repent it in our lives and communities. Though these are emotions we should have continually as Christians, a day set aside helps us focus on these and discuss them with God and our families.
Celebration and Repentance
What does a focus on sin, atonement, and repentance look like for a Christian family? Here are some things to include in your Yom Kippur to bring out the meaning and weave its concepts into your family’s legacy.
1. Pray
Set aside time to spend with God – alone and as a family. Thank Him for the gift of Jesus and the forgiveness, deliverance, and salvation we have because of his sacrifice. Confess sin in your life and community and commit to turning from it to a better, Godlier path.
This humbling is usually done in the form of fasting. The Bible doesn’t specifically say to fast on this day, though. Some people practice this humbling or affliction by giving something up, like time or money, instead. Be sure to use whatever you choose only to bring yourself closer to God. Remember when Jesus rebuked those who used fasting as an outward action instead of a way to get their heart focused on God (Matt. 6:16-18)? What they were doing wasn’t honoring God, and neither is anything else we do in His name that brings attention to ourselves and not glory to Him.
If you plan to fast, pray whenever you experience hunger pangs. The Bible often positively pairs fasting with praying, so do them together and, in doing so, bring blessing into your life and glory to God.
Plan for a large meal on the evening of Yom Kippur so that everyone doesn’t start the fast hungry and has some calories to work off of for the next 25 hours. Make the meal that will break the fast ahead of time so it’s ready when the fast is over. I’m guessing that no one in your house will be in the mood to labor over a meal that evening, and everyone will want something to eat as soon as possible!
3. Forgive and seek forgiveness
Colossians 3:13 says that we must forgive others as we have been forgiven. Make this day the day you leave behind that grudge or bitterness you’ve been hanging on to, and let the healing begin in that relationship. On that same note, be honest with yourself about who you may need to ask for forgiveness. Decide to honor God on Yom Kippur by putting your pride aside, humbling yourself, and admitting where you wronged someone else. I do know how difficult this is! Read James 4:6-10 for encouragement.
4. Hear what God has to say to you
Spend some time in God’s word on this Sabbath day. Here are some scriptures to read and meditate on to get you in the right mindset for Yom Kippur.
A convocation is an assembly or gathering. For it to be holy, it needs to be set apart to God. For the Israelites, this meant gathering as a nation before God. Here are a few things you could do to incorporate a holy convocation into your observation of Yom Kippur.
Gather together with fellow believers. Plan and discuss Yom Kippur with your believing friends. If they’re interested, invite them over and read scriptures, pray, and fellowship together.
Gather as a family. Have everyone stop their daily activities and come together to focus on the reason for this Holy Day. Talk about the concepts of Yom Kippur – sin, atonement, salvation, repentance, and forgiveness. Open up and be real with each other about where you are in your spiritual walk. Read scripture and pray together as a family.
6. Wear White
Wearing white on Yom Kippur is an outward expression of our acknowledgment of and gratefulness for the purity we receive through the forgiveness of our sins. It serves as both a reminder and an object lesson throughout the day, especially for children!
More and more Christians are celebrating Yom Kippur because, through it, we can focus on repentance – our own and that of our community – and thank God for providing us a way to atone for our sins through Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. Isaiah 53:6 says that Jesus took all our sins onto himself. Wow. We are so undeserving yet SO loved, Brothers and Sisters!
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I always look for ways to teach my kids about the Biblical Holy Days, as they are meaningful for how we practice our faith and help us get to know our God and Messiah even more. I recently came across one of the best resources for this – Links to Messiah boxes!
Links to Messiah has boxes containing all the items you need to teach families the connection between Jesus and Jewish traditions. They have boxes that teach about the Sabbath (Shabbat), the Fall Feasts, Hanukkah, Passover, and more!
These boxes are assembled and created by Rachel Kushner. She was raised with Messianic Jewish traditions and celebrated both Jewish and Christian holidays. She has a heart to pass on what her family taught her—that Jesus is the Messiah who fulfills the Old Testament prophesies and that Jewish traditions point to Jesus! What a fantastic ministry!
Interested in a Shabbat Adventure Box for your family or a loved one? Find yours here.
My family received the Shabbat Adventure Box from Links to Messiah. It’s filled with all you need to teach your family about the Sabbath – its meaning to your faith and the traditions to observe. This box is a great way to teach your family about the importance of the Sabbath, and how the box is created is well thought out! Since everything is included, it’s ready to go right away. The crafts come with all you need to complete them, and the games don’t require prep, so your family can jump right in!
Here’s what’s included in the Shabbat Adventure Box.
Shabbat Candleholder Craft
This activity was my family’s favorite! It’s tradition to light two candles on Friday evening to bring in the Sabbath, so these wooden candleholders are a perfect addition to the Shabbat Adventure Box. My kids had fun decorating them, and we’ll use them for years to come!
Challah Cover Craft and Recipe
Another Shabbat tradition, serving challah bread, is represented in this box by a challah cover that the kids can decorate. Like the Shabbat candleholders, these covers are not just a teaching tool – they’re an item my family will use to grace our Shabbat table.
Shabbat Paint-by-Number Canvases
These canvases come printed with a Shabbat scene and are numbered for painting. They come ready to paint with paint and a paintbrush. My kids really enjoyed painting these!
Memory Cards
Traditionally, blessings are said on Shabbat. These include the Shema, a blessing when lighting the candles, and blessings over the bread and wine. The memory cards in this box have the Shema and the Blessing over the candles in Hebrew and English, so your family can learn both!
Shabbat Games
Playing games is one of my family’s favorite Shabbat traditions, so it’s brilliant that a list of Shabbat Family Games is included in this box! These are wonderfully chosen games the whole family can play that bring everyone together.
Rest List
The focus of Shabbat is on rest and God. Links to Messiah includes an empty list where family members can fill in ways they can rest, both as individuals and as a family.
Shabbat Shopping List
This is so helpful, especially for those new to observing the Sabbath. It includes the ingredients for making challah bread, what you need to set the table, and other necessities.
“All About Shabbat” Instruction Guide
This guide contains information for all the activities in the box, including craft instructions, an explanation of the Sabbath and traditions, Bible verses about the Sabbath, a Shabbat song, and more! It even includes the link to a Shabbat playlist, where Links to Messiah has collected songs for your family to play on Shabbat.
This Shabbat Adventure Box is an excellent way to teach your family about Shabbat! I wish I had something like this when my family started this journey. It would have been so helpful!
The Shabbat Adventure Box is just one of Links to Messiah’s creative teaching tools for your family! Find even more here.
