The Nurse's Guide to Observing Chanukkah

The holiday seasons are festive and bright, a true cultural phenomenon. However, other religions don't recognize Christmas as a holiday, and this can make them feel marginalized. One of the most common religions you may encounter during the holiday season is Judaism, and you should know the history and observances of Chanukku to help your patient celebrate their holiday, too. Nurses Spirituality Article

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The Nurse's Guide to Observing Chanukkah

I grew up in a very Jewish neighborhood in Pittsburgh. It was nothing for me to see Orthodox Jews walking to Temple on Saturday morning, wearing the long locks and black suits. Even as someone who grew up so closely with that culture, I still didn't understand the ins and outs of what it meant to be Jewish. Sure, we included Jewish friends in our Catholic Christmas merrymaking, but I never really understood what the Winter holidays meant to my friends.

When I became a nurse, I learned that it was important to be culturally aware of my patient's religious needs. I was told that, but I wasn't given much background into what that actually meant. What does it mean to be Jewish during the holidays? What would a Jewish person need or expect during this season? Will they be offended with all the Christmas hoopla? Nursing school didn't answer these questions for me, but with Google, all things are knowable.

What is Chanukkah?

Chanukkah is referred to as the festival of lights. The Temple in Jerusalem was invaded and desecrated by a group of Greeks. The Israelites wanted to reconsecrate the Temple, but they only had enough candle oil to last them for one night. They lit the candle that night, and then found on the second night that there was enough for another lighting. This occurred for eight days, and it established the miracle of Chanukkah, showing that God was with them and provided for them when they were in need.

The dates of Chanukkah vary from year to year. It can extend anywhere from the end of November to the end of December. It lasts eight days and has a set of observances and rituals that commemorate the holiday. In 2014, Chanukkah will be from the evening of December 16th until the evening of December 24th. Many years, the holiday will overlap with Christmas, and this is why it is lumped together with the holidays. However, Chanukkah is a very minor holiday when compared with the important Jewish observances of Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur.

Jewish Observances of Chanukkah

The most common symbol of Chanukkah is the menorah. This is a candelabra that holds eight candles, symbolizing the eight nights that the oil was miraculously available. Most families enjoy spending nights together lighting the candle and having family time. It is usually disappointing to be away from the home during the nights of Chanukkah, so Jewish patients in the hospital may be disappointed that they cannot light the candles with their family. If they care to, a menorah can be set up in their room and candles lit -- depending on fire ordinances -- to help them celebrate the holiday.

Unlike Christmas, this holiday is not usually associated with presents. It has only become a time for presents because of the pressure parents and families feel with the coming of Christmas. In the past, children would play games for candies and the story of Chanukkah would be told to impress upon the children the miracle of God. In addition, kids would play with a specialized spinning top known as a dreidel. Some of the dreidels were homemade, but many now are purchased. However, adults usually don't play this game, but a pediatric patient may appreciate the fun of spinning it around.

Balancing Chanukkah with Christmas

Many Jewish people feel that Christmas has pushed the holiday of Chanukkah to the sidelines. Since Christmas is a huge cultural phenomenon worldwide, Jews feel as if they want to be part of the excitement of the holidays, too. Although Chanukkah is considered a very minor holiday, it has exploded as a rival to Christmas. Jewish children want presents like their Christian friends, and they want to get in the holiday spirit that is so prevalent around this time.

For this reason, many Jewish families are now giving gifts for the eight days of Chanukkah. Typically, seven of the days would entail giving small gifts, like books or socks. Only one day of Chanukkah is actually like Christmas where the big ticket gifts are given. Many Jews feel marginalized by the holidays because they just can't escape Christmas and their holiday is misunderstood. This leads to Jewish leaders demanding equal footing -- which they deserve -- even though the holiday is considered minor.

The best way to know how to help your Jewish patient through the holiday is to ask. First, find out when the festival is. Then, ask them how they would like to celebrate. Consider bringing a small gift, even if it is a pudding cup from the patient refrigerator. When you decorate the unit for the holidays, put up symbols of Chanukkah, too. It would make the Jewish patients in your care feel like their religion matters, and that's the whole point of being culturally aware as a nurse.

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Judaism 101

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Lynda Lampert, RN

About Lynda Lampert, RN

Lynda is a freelance medical writer with experience in telemetry, med-surg, and ICU.

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Thank you, Lynda, for offering some explanations to those who are less knowledgeable on the topic. As a Jew in a somewhat non-Jewish area, it's been a responsiblity of sorts to educate others when it seems appropriate :)

[Quick note: the Chanukiah (Chanukkah Menorah) has NINE candle holding cups, not eight. The ninth is for the Shamash (Leader, or Servant candle, depending on interpretation) which is used to light each of the other candles in order.]

And here's a fun fact, a bit of trivia: A "regular" menorah, one that has had ritual use for millennia, has the traditional 7 candleholding branches. Most people don't even know there IS a 'regular menorah' as they think of the Chanukiah as the 'only' menorah.

I have a collection of Chanukiahs that come out for Chanukkah only, as well as a few Plain Old Menorahs :)

Again, thank you for the article......how I wish there was more awareness, such as you display here, when I was a pediatric patient!

Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

Thank you for this great reminder for all of us to be respectful of holiday observances and the importance they play in the lives of our patients.

Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, post op, ICU.

Thank you RnsRwe! I really enjoyed writing this article, and I'm sorry about my misinformation about the types of minorrahs. I wasn't even sure of the proper spelling of Chanukkah, and saw several different spellings. I went with this one because that was what my source went with.

I am fascinated by different religions, and I wouldn't mind doing an article on Rosh Hoshannah and Yom Kippur for nurses to know how to accommodate these patients. In addition, I would be curious to know what Islamic practices are observed during the holidays and what the particular requirements are of Ramadan. So often, we are not informed of these practices, and we can't fully be there for our patients.

Thank you RnsRwe! I really enjoyed writing this article, and I'm sorry about my misinformation about the types of minorrahs. I wasn't even sure of the proper spelling of Chanukkah, and saw several different spellings. I went with this one because that was what my source went with.

I am fascinated by different religions, and I wouldn't mind doing an article on Rosh Hoshannah and Yom Kippur for nurses to know how to accommodate these patients. In addition, I would be curious to know what Islamic practices are observed during the holidays and what the particular requirements are of Ramadan. So often, we are not informed of these practices, and we can't fully be there for our patients.

The reason you can't find the one 'correct' spelling for the holiday is because the word is Hebrew....there IS no English spelling that would be correct! So, we get what looks like it....Chanukkah and Hanukkah are the most widely accepted :)

As for the High Holy Days, I'd think unless you REALLY wanted to dive into some serious learning, the amount of info you'd try to put into a short article would probably be overwhelming! I think it'd be something that would be pretty difficult for someone outside of any faith to grasp well enough to write about. Still, I so very much applaud your efforts :D

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
In addition, I would be curious to know what Islamic practices are observed during the holidays and what the particular requirements are of Ramadan. So often, we are not informed of these practices, and we can't fully be there for our patients.

(Not a Muslim, but my metro has roughly 150K. Our Muslim population is second only to our Catholic population.) Essentially, they forego meeting physical needs during daylight hours. Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, so dates on Gregorian calendar vary from year to year...although Eid al-Fitr has in recent years been lumped in with "the holidays," this year it was July 28!

Anyway, I think the big consideration for patients is meal times. Where I live, if we consider Ramadan (2014) being the 40 days preceding July 28th, we're looking at a sunrise around 0530 and a sunset after 2100!! That doesn't quite work with rigid hospital meal times of 0700, 1200, and 1700.

Of course some work settings it can't be helped--for example in ICUs and particularly in burn units, people need to be continuously tube fed. But if a pt is taking regular meals or even bolus tubefeeds, this is something we can accommodate for them.

Also not related to Ramadan specifically, but in my ICU if we have a female Muslim pt, we cover her hair either with a clean towel or a surgical bouffant cap. And the charge nurse assigns female nurses/CNAs when staffing allows.

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
As for the High Holy Days, I'd think unless you REALLY wanted to dive into some serious learning, the amount of info you'd try to put into a short article would probably be overwhelming!

Hehe your Bible is roughly 2/3 of my Bible, and I find them overwhelming! :D

Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, post op, ICU.

I'd be willing to write an article on any of them. I agree that it would be hard to whittle these religious observances down to a short article, but that's what writers do! :) Do Muslims have any winter holidays that are lumped with Christmas? I know there is Kwanza, but I believe that's an African holiday. Anyway, I do think Christians have co-opted December, and you can't swing IV tubing without hearing about Christmas. I'm Christian, Catholic, and I love Christmas. I just think that everyone should get equal attention. You don't see car commercials about Channukah. And nursing schools are lax at teaching about these cultural differences.

I really like what you did in your ICU for Muslim patients. That's the sort of stuff that would make a great article. Maybe I can interview you and do one. ;)

Lynda

I know there is Kwanza, but I believe that's an African holiday.

Nope. This event was made up by a minister in the US in the late 1960's, who wanted to give black American children a sense of African heritage that he felt they were lacking.......and the first African American Holiday was born :)

As it was designed, it has no basis in religion, but is used as a cultural teaching tool.

Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, post op, ICU.

Wow, I didn't know that! I didn't do very much research beyond the topic of the article. So, it isn't associated with a religion. I wonder why they put it near Christmas. Probably to co-opt with the Christmas attention. Here I was trying to give information to all of you, and now I learned something.

Cool!

Wow, I didn't know that! I didn't do very much research beyond the topic of the article. So, it isn't associated with a religion. I wonder why they put it near Christmas. Probably to co-opt with the Christmas attention. Here I was trying to give information to all of you, and now I learned something.

Cool!

Isn't it funny how something can get ingrained so quickly we assume it's a very old, even religious, tradition? This one is less than 50 years old, so....'new' in my book.

I can't tell you how wonderfully confusing it is to have the candleholder that is used for Kwanzaa (7 branches, so a 'menorah' in that sense!) out and about at the same time as Chanukkah. I'll never forget my dear grandmother sending me a Kwanzaa card by mistake, thinking it was a drawing of such a "colorful menorah!" LOL....she never was very good at noticing details! :)

As for learning something new goes, the day we stop learning is the day we die, as far as I'm concerned :D

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
Do Muslims have any winter holidays that are lumped with Christmas? I really like what you did in your ICU for Muslim patients. That's the sort of stuff that would make a great article. Maybe I can interview you and do one. ;)

From what I understand, the big "celebration" holidays are Eid al-Fitr which is the fast-breaking at the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha which is the festival of sacrifice at the end of Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca). Both are timed according to the Islamic calendar, so like I said in my other post, the dates on the Gregorian calendar are a little different each year. This year it was at the beginning of October.

I have seen Eid al-Fitr lumped in with the December holidays in ecumenical holiday displays...on one of my oldest daughter's Scholastic News years ago...here and there. I've seen the same thing done w/ the Lunar New Year (aka "Chinese" new year), included in the "happy holidays" slogan of December. This year it was the second half of February. My husband's Korean so we sometimes celebrate w/ his parents; that too changes every year, since it's not on the Gregorian calendar. I personally don't like lumping them all together... Better I think that if one sincerely wishes another a happy holiday, to find out when it is and convey those wishes at the appropriate time. :D

But no, no December holidays like Christmas/Chanukkah/New Year's.

I can't take credit for the hair-covering idea; my colleagues were doing it before I arrived on the unit. :) I'm not an expert, but if you have questions you can PM me

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