ACKNOWLEDGING THE DIVERSE TAPESTRY OF OUR COLLECTIVE
KWANZAA
DECEMBER 26 - JANUARY 1
Kwanzaa is an annual holiday celebrated primarily in the United States by African-Americans. It emphasizes the importance of family and corresponding social values.
Each day of Kwanzaa is tied to one of the holiday’s seven principles: UNITY (umoja), SELF-DETERMINATION (kujichagulia), COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY (ujima), COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS (ujamaa), PURPOSE (nia), CREATIVITY (kuumba), and FAITH (imani). Each day, families bring out corresponding symbols and light a new candle on the Kinara (candleholder).
On the final day a feast is held, called the karamu. Families and communities come together to share food, to honor the ancestors, affirm the bonds between them, and to celebrate African and African American culture and to breathe meaning into the principles with various activities.
The Principles of Kwanzaa are UNIVERSAL and beneficial for all!
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HANUKKAH
DECEMBER 14 - 24
Hanukkah (Chanukah) is the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods. It begins at Sundown on Sunday, December 14th, and continues until Sundown on Monday, December 22nd. The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication,” and is thus named because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple.
At the heart of the festival is the menorah which holds nine flames, one of which is used to kindle the other eight lights, and is known as the shamash or “attendant.” On the first night, just one flame is lit. On the second night, an additional flame is lit. By the eighth night of Chanukah, all eight lights are kindled.
On Friday afternoon, care must be taken to light the menorah before Shabbat candles are lit, and the following evening they are to be kindled only after Shabbat has ended.
Special blessings are recited, often to a traditional melody, before the menorah is lit, and traditional songs are sung afterward.
A menorah is lit in every household (or even by each individual within the household) and placed in a doorway or window. Special Hallel prayer is recited daily, and V'Al HaNissim is added in daily prayers, to offer praise and thanksgiving to God for “delivering the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few...the wicked into the hands of the righteous.”