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Hanukkah 2020: What foods are traditionally eaten during the Jewish Festival of Lights?


Hanukkah celebrations run for eight days with plenty of food consumed during the festival (Picture: Getty)

Hanukkah, also known as the Jewish Festival of Lights, is celebrated by millions of Jewish people around the world.

The celebrations kicked off on Thursday, December 10, and will continue for eight days.

This year, families will find it difficult to come together due to coronavirus restrictions – but households will still be following Hanukkah traditions.

And while lighting a menorah and exchanging gifts with loved ones is common practice, there’s also a lot of delicious food to be eaten.

What foods are traditionally eaten during Hanukkah?

Sufganiyot

Essentially a deep-fried doughnut usually filled with strawberry jam and eaten during Hanukkah.

While jam is the tradition, Jewish people around the world have experimented with their sufganiyot fillings over the years.

The scrumptious-looking treats are often topped with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Sufganiyot is a Jewish delicacy during Hanukkah (Picture: Getty)

Gelt

Gold chocolate coins are often associated with Christmas as a stocking filler but during Hanukkah, Jewish children can be showered with chocolate gifts.

The coins are often wrapped in silver or gold foil with the tradition dating back to the 17th Century.

The word “gelt” in Yiddish, the traditional language Jewish people began using around 1000 years ago, translates to “money.”

Children eat plenty of gold chocolate coins during Hanukkah (Picture: Getty)

Beef brisket

It’s not all about sweet treats during Hanukkah – mouth-watering beef brisket is often served up during the celebrations.

Beef brisket first became popular in eastern Europe at a time when more expensive cuts of meat were unaffordable.

Brisket isn’t just synonymous with Hanukkah and often makes an appearance at the dinner table at Passover and Rosh Hashanah.

Beautiful smoked beef brisket is a common Jewish tradition (Picture: Getty)

Latkes

Latkes are one of the most popular foods eaten during Hanukkah and can be eaten with savoury or sweet accompaniments.

Latkes are fried potato pancakes that can be served with either apple sauce or sour cream.

Jewish people eat a lot of food that has been fried in oil due to the story of how Jews reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem from King Antiochus in the story of Hanukkah.

They could only find enough oil in the temple to light the menorah for one day but the candelabra carried on burning for eight full days.

Fried potatoes cooked in oil is a Jewish tradition (Picture: Getty)


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