What is the significance of the name Maccabee?
According to one explanation, the word “maccabee” is derived from the Hebrew word for “hammer.” Judas, the leader of the rebellion against the Syrians, was given the name Maccabee because of his ability to strike blows against his enemies. Maccabee also is an acronym for the phrase “Mi kamocha ba’elim Adonoy,” which means “Who among the mighty is like Thee, O God.” Some say that “maccabee” was the battle cry of the Jewish people in 165 B.C. What are some Hanukkah traditions? Gift-giving isn’t a traditional part of Hanukkah. The only traditional Hanukkah gift is gelt, which is small amounts of money. Gelt also can be foil-covered chocolates, often used when playing another tradition, the gambling game called dreidel. A more recent custom for some families is to give children small gifts each night of Hanukkah. What is a dreidel? A dreidel is a wooden top with one Hebrew letter on each of four sides. The word dreidel is derived from the German word “drehen,” which means “to turn.” In Heb
