Chanukah, or Hannukkah as it is sometimes spelt, is one of the most joyful celebrations of the Jewish calendar. It celebrates the successful revolt of the Maccabees against the Seleucid kings, and the rededication of the Temple which followed. Most businesses will stay up and running during the events so you can still make the most of the great restaurants and shops in Jerusalem as well as the rest of Israel, but added to this is the fantastic holiday atmosphere.

You can get a taste for the festival’s traditions by sampling some of the traditional Chanukah food such as sufganiots, jam-filled doughnuts, or latkes which are fried potato pancakes. If staying in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv then you can wander through the Jewish sections of the city and view the menorah candles lit up in the windows, and perhaps hear snatches of Chanukah songs such as “Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel”. It is also a particularly evocative time to visit the Western Wall, the last remaining section of the Temple, the historical rededication of which is nostalgically celebrated by many a Chanukah song.