Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that observes the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BCE at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire.
Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights and is not a cherished and joyful eight-day festival. A recognizable element of the holiday is the lighting of the menorah, an eight-branched candelabrum. One candle is added to each holiday night until it is ablaze with light on the eighth night.
Read CultureAlly’s post on Hanukkah for more information about this widely celebrated holiday.
How to Observe Hanukkah in the Workplace
Allow for Paid Time Off: Accommodate requests off for Hanukkah. Paid time off allows your employees to enjoy this festival with their loved ones without having to stress.
Don’t Make Assumptions: People feel different emotions during the holidays, and not everybody who celebrates Hanukkah will do so similarly.
Provide Resources: Send out an email or provide accessible resources in the office that include information about Hanukkah so everyone can learn more about the significance of this holiday.
Get Educated: Ensure staff are aware of Hanukkah and how they can be supportive. This can be done through guest speakers, lunch and learns, talking to self-identified Jewish colleagues, or simply doing research online.
Communications Template for Hanukkah
[Subject: Hanukkah]
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that observes the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the second century BCE at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights and is not a cherished and joyful eight-day festival.
A recognizable element of the holiday is the lighting of the menorah, an eight-branched candelabrum. One candle is added to each holiday night until it is ablaze with light on the eighth night.
We hope all of you who celebrate Hanukkah, whichever you choose to do so, have a joyous time!
Thank you,
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