Light the Sixth Candle Where the City Already Glows
By the sixth night of Hanukkah, Tel Aviv has settled into its rhythm: the smell of frying oil drifting from bakery doorways, children clutching chocolate coins, and the low hum of Hebrew songs rising from courtyards and balconies as the sun drops. On December 10, 2026, the sixth candle coincides with Rosh Chodesh Tevet — the start of a new Hebrew month — which means the city marks two occasions at once. It is a public national holiday in Israel, so many businesses and government offices will be closed. Plan your day around that: the streets will be quieter in the morning, and the evening belongs to the menorah.
Join a Menorah Lighting, Then Stay for the Songs
- Light at sundown. The central ritual of the sixth night is adding one more flame to the menorah — six candles plus the shamash. In Tel Aviv, this happens on balconies, in synagogue courtyards, in community centres, and in public squares across the city. Find a neighbourhood gathering and you will find the blessings recited aloud.
- Sing what everyone else is singing. Traditional Hanukkah songs — Ma'oz Tzur, Hanerot Halalu — are part of the evening. You do not need to know the words to stand with a crowd and listen; the melodies repeat enough that you will pick them up by the second verse.
- Rosh Chodesh Tevet adds a layer. Because the sixth day of Hanukkah falls on Rosh Chodesh, the evening carries the additional weight of a new month beginning. Expect the liturgy and the mood to reflect both.
Eat What the Oil Made Famous
- Sufganiyot. The jelly-filled doughnut is the defining Hanukkah food in Israel, and Tel Aviv's bakeries and cafés turn them out by the tray. Look for them filled with strawberry jam or dulce de leche, dusted with powdered sugar. They are best eaten the day they are fried.
- Latkes. Potato pancakes fried in oil — the Ashkenazi counterpart to the Sephardic doughnut. You will find them on menus and in homes throughout the eight nights.
- Hanukkah gelt. Chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil, given to children. Buy a handful from any corner shop or market stall and you have the easiest gift in the city.
- Where to go. The city's markets and bakery-lined streets are where the frying happens in public. Follow the smell of hot oil in the late afternoon — that is your guide.
Play Dreidel, Exchange Gifts, and Let the Evening Run Late
- Dreidel. The spinning-top game is played in homes, community centres, and anywhere children gather. The rules are simple enough to learn in one round; the stakes are usually chocolate coins.
- Gifts. Exchanging presents is a Hanukkah custom, and the sixth night is as good as any to do it. If you are visiting, a small gift for your host — a box of sufganiyot, a bag of gelt — fits the occasion.
- The city after dark. Tel Aviv does not shut down early on Hanukkah. Cafés, bars, and restaurants stay open into the night, and the holiday atmosphere carries into the streets. The sixth night is a Thursday in 2026, so expect a midweek crowd rather than a weekend one.
Know the Day You Are Walking Into
- Date: December 10, 2026 — the sixth day of Hanukkah and Rosh Chodesh Tevet.
- Status: A public national holiday in Israel. Many businesses and government offices are closed. Check opening hours before you set out, especially for anything you have booked.
- What the holiday commemorates: The Maccabean victory and the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, and the miracle of oil that lasted eight nights. The themes — religious freedom and cultural heritage — are woven through the songs, the food, and the lighting.
- What to expect in Tel Aviv specifically: The city observes Hanukkah as a national holiday, with menorah lightings, fried food, songs, dreidel, and gift-giving happening in homes and community spaces. There is no single official municipal programme listed for this date, so the most reliable plan is to join a neighbourhood or community lighting and let the evening unfold from there.
Start with the calendar: December 10, 2026. Then find where you will be at sundown, because that is when the sixth candle is lit and the sixth night begins. Everything else — the doughnuts, the songs, the coins, the late hours — follows from there.