Jews of African descent (without excluding those of neighboring Diaspora communities.) especially those of eastern African countries, Sudan, Ethiopia (Beta Israel) due to their historical and geographical location where not and in many ways are still not familiar with Hanukkah.

Today, especially in America (United States) the acceptance of the holiday, as I am almost positive has no religious significance, especially compared to what it may mean to many European and S&P Jews living in America and what they make of it.

For Jews of African descent (here to be known as African Jews) Hanukkah as a universally accepted holiday was not celebrated as much. Not that it was unknown to them, but rather that it did not obtain the measure of festiveness and joy that had been accepted by their European and S&P brothers of faith.

African Jews have always known about Hanukkah. In fact, it is known that Ethiopia is the only place in the world that "kept" the book of the Maccabees. This naturally helped them have the knowledge better to say the preservation of Hanukkah and it's history and moral lessons versus it's miracles of oil. Very few individuals if any across the vast villages of northern Ethiopia would have practiced the form of Hanukkah as we in North America see it today. There are many historical and biblical accounts of African Jews appearing on the scene as practicing Jews and then "disappearing" again throughout the centuries. This also made it easy for historians to distinguished them from their Christian and Muslim neighbors.

So, what is Hanukkah to the African Jew? We should see it is a time to join the mainstream population in fun and Jewish stuff. We should see it is a time to share the spirit of our true Jewish light with the world around us. As African Jews living in the Diaspora and in Israel we have a have a unique light that we bring to the Jewish fold. We have a known history and preservation of Hanukkah its deeper meanings and moral lessons therefore we like the rest of the Jewish world should accept Hanukkah in its present form as our own.

However, the African Jew is forbidden to not infuse his/her rich cultural heritage with the modern practices of Judaism (Devarim 6:7). Additionally, each household should be accustomed to the Festive liturgy, seeing the dreidle spin and any enjoying Sufganiyot, Cassola, Keftes de Espinaka, Wat, Dabo, or Bofrot, to name a few modern holiday treats. Hanukkah for the African Jew should be a time where we find spiritual and cultural balance. Hanukkah is not a time to be spent in isolation but in the midst of our people.

So to answer the question,
What is Hanukkah to the African Jew? I would say as African Jews we owe it to ourselves to embrace Jewish values and customs.

Hanukkah----------> (Google has been able to track at least 16 different ways to spell Hanukkah)

Hanukkah Simcha