About Hanukkah

Hanukkah also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE.

Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, Beginning on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, and may occur from late November to late December on the Gregorian calendar. The festival is keep by the kindling of the lights of a special candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah or Hanukiah, one light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. A spare light called a Shamash is also lit each night for the purpose of lighting the others, and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest.

History of Hanukkah

Hanukkah is the tale of a big victory of the Jews over the Syrian-Greeks. According to Hebrew calendar, the word Hanukkah meaning "dedication". Hanukah is the tale of heroes and courage . It took great bravery to go against the king and not devotion idols. It took courage to fight against a big enemy and win as the Maccabees did. The holiday commemorates the rededication of the saintly Temple in Jerusalem after the Jews' 165 B.C.E. victory over the Hellenist Syrians. Antiochus, the Greek King of Syria, banned Jewish rituals and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods. In 168 B.C.E. the Jews' holy Temple was close and dedicated to the worship of Zeus.

Hanukkah Traditions

On every night of Hanukkah, the menorah is lit to remember a wonder which occurred after the Jews proclaimed success over the Syrian armies in 165 B.C.E. When Jews came to rededicate the place of worship�which had been defiled by the Syrians�they found only one little container of oil with which to light the menorah. This container contained only sufficient oil for one day, yet the lamp burned for eight days.

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