Hours of research by our editors, distilled into minutes of clarity.
In the 1600s, coffee was important in multiple religious traditions. In Yemen, it was the drink of choice for Sufi mystics to improve their focus and fuel their grueling meditations. Pope Clement VIII's approval spread coffee’s popularity from the Muslim to the Christian world, paving the way for the cappuccino.
“Tatatau” roughly translates to “strike,” a reference to the ancient process, which involved tapping ink into the skin with sharpened objects, like the bronze implements used circa 1450 BCE in Egypt, below.
Atheism was long a central part of Soviet politics. One facet was an attempt to wipe out religious holidays, Christmas (and Santa) included. Ded Moroz, or Father Frost, is the Soviet version of Santa, who also travels by carriage and has a long white beard.
The Christian clergyman didn’t ride in a flying sleigh or have a workshop full of elves, but he was known for his generosity and anonymous good deeds, which became the basis for the story of Santa Claus.
The annual winter holiday celebrates both events, which ultimately resulted in increased religious freedom for the Jewish people.
You might think you know latkes and kugel, but this collection of Hanukkah-appropriate recipes from Food & Wine takes things to a whole new level. Shake things up at your next holiday table with cinnamon-cardamom sufganiyot, rugelach with a tahini glaze, or brisket with caramelized fennel.
For over 30 years, National Public Radio has broadcast its Hanukkah Lights series, a collection of original fiction that relates to the holiday. Here, you’ll find a repository of listeners’ favorite past tales, going back decades.
This short video guides viewers through the process, from the supplies required to the order in which the candles are lit. It also covers the prayers that are recited nightly and associated blessings for each individual night.
Today, many Jews interpret Hanukkah in the context of several centuries of history, including the Holocaust. Alan Avery-Peck’s essay explores how the holiday's meaning has evolved according to each generation's struggles.
The Maccabees were a group of Jews who led a successful uprising against the Seleucid Empire. The revolt began with Alexander the Great's death and the subsequent division of his kingdom, and it resulted in the capture of Jerusalem.