BRIDGEPORT, Pa — The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA), Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) and Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) wish everyone Hanukkah Sameach (Happy Hanukkah).
Hanukkah (also spelled “Chanukah”) is an eight-day winter “festival of lights,” which begins each year on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.
Because the Hebrew calendar is based on the lunar cycle, the dates of Jewish holidays according to the Gregorian calendar change from year to year. For this reason, the beginning of Hanukkah can range from late November to late December.
In short, Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after a group of Jewish warriors defeated the occupying Greek armies. The festival celebrates the triumph of light over darkness.
In 2023, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Thursday, December 7, and continues through Friday, December 15. The first candle is lit on the Chanukiah (menorah) on this date.