Hanukkah or Chanukah?

Have you always wondered why the Jewish Festival of Lights is sometimes written with an H and other times with a Ch? You are not alone!

Hanukkah and Chanukah refer to the same eight-day festival. The Ch version is not meant to be pronounced like the "ch" in "chin." It is actually meant to sound more like an "h" with a guttural throat clearing. The change in spelling serves as a reminder that the Hebrew word would be pronounced with a throaty "h" not a typical English "h."

Ask your teacher to assign a lesson on Chanukah from our Holidays & Events section.

Happy Chanukah!