For North African Jews the 7th Hanukkah Candle Marks the Beginning of the Daughters Festival

Who says that Hanukkah is only about miracles and heroes? This holiday is marked by heroines as well, which is why North African Jews have tapped the 7th night of Hanukkah as the beginning of Chag Ha'Banot --  the Daughters Festival.

While in the West the story of Hannah and her seven sons is a favorite tale attached to Hanukkah, Jews coming from Algeria, Libya, Tunisia and Morocco place the focus on Judith. The Heroine of the Book of Judith -- a book in the Apocrypha bearing the same status as the Book of Maccabees -- Judith single- handedly saved her people by killing Holofernes, the Assyrian general determined to destroy Judith's home town of Bethulia. Her victory is associated with the Maccabean revolt, to the point that she is depicted on many medieval menorahs.

The North African tradition of Chag Ha'Banot coincides with Rosh Chodesh Tevet. It's a logical combination since traditionally, Rosh Chodesh is a holiday associated with women. The difference is that while Rosh Chodesh originally marked a mini-rest from household chores, Chag Ha'Banot has a host of customs associated with it: mothers give their daughters gifts; mothers also go to synagogue to kiss the Torah and pray for the health of their daughters; it's also a time of reconciliation between girls at odds with each other, and a time for women old and young to come together and hold a joint celebration -- usually a feast marked by cheese dishes because legend has it that Judith fed Holofernes salty cheese that made him thirsty enough to consume huge quantities of wine, fall asleep and get beheaded (by Judith of course).

What to do with these customs in practical, contemporary terms? In addition to putting women on an equal heroic footing, personally I like the idea of reconciliation, especially in this day and age of school bullying.

Here's another suggestion from my son Avihai -- a wordplay that ties in nicely with reconciliation. Take the Hebrew words Habanot (daughters) and Havanot (understanding). Spelled in Hebrew without vowels they look identical -- הבנות. Clearly, reconciliation is the big winner of this celebration.
Chag Ha'Banot Sameach!


P.S. For Jewish trivia lovers, Hanukkah is the only holiday that takes place during two different months. It starts in Kislev and ends in Tevet.

Girls Hugging Photo Credit

Photo Credit: Painting of Judith beheading Holofernes