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Hanukkah - Hanukkah is an eight-day holiday celebrated by the Jewish community. It’s inspired by events that took place more than 2,000 years ago during a turbulent phase in Jewish history.

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Antiochus III -

Around 200 BCE, Judea, also known as the Land of Israel, was taken over by Antiochus III. Antiochus was the King of Syria and practiced a different religion, but allowed the people of Judea to continue practicing Judaism.

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Antiochus IV Epiphanes -

Unfortunately, his son was less open minded. When Antiochus IV Epiphanes became ruler after his father's death, it’s said that he outlawed Judaism and ordered the Jewish people to worship Greek gods.

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The massacre of Jerusalem -

In 168 BCE, he sent his soldiers to Jerusalem, where they massacred thousands of people and desecrated the holy Second Temple. Historical accounts say that they erected an altar to Zeus and sacrificed pigs inside the temple.

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The rebellion of the Maccabees -

A Jewish priest named Mattathias and his five sons led a large-scale rebellion against Antiochus IV. When he died, his son Judah Maccabee continued to lead the fight.

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Reclaiming Jerusalem -

In 164 BCE, Judah and the Jewish people had successfully driven the Syrian monarchy out of Jerusalem. Judah ordered his followers to cleanse and restore the Second Temple, rededicating it to their faith.

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Lighting the menorah -

They lit the menorah, a candelabrum of seven candles that represent knowledge and creation. The menorah was supposed to be kept burning, but they only had enough oil to last for one day.

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The miracle of the oil -

This is when the Hanukkah miracle occurred. The event is recorded in the Talmud, a central Jewish religious text, and was witnessed by Judah and the other followers who took on the task of rededicating the Second Temple.

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The miracle of the oil -

Although the oil should have run out and the candles should have died, the menorah remained lit for eight nights. This gave them enough time to find a fresh supply of oil.

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The birth of Hanukkah -

This miraculous event inspired the Jewish elders to declare an eight-day festival. The celebration is called Hanukkah, or Chanukah, which means "dedication" in Hebrew.

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Alternative interpretations -

Some modern historians have found radically different interpretations of the origins of Hanukkah. One account says that it occurred during a time of civil war between the Jewish people of Jerusalem, the traditionalists, and those who had adopted Syrian customs under the rule of Antiochus IV.

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Alternative interpretations -

Other scholars say that Hanukkah was simply a late celebration of another Jewish holiday called Sukkot, which had been delayed due to the rebellion against Antiochus IV.

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How is it celebrated? - The celebration of Hanukkah centers around a nine-branch menorah. A new candle is added to the menorah and lit after sundown each night of the eight-day holiday. The ninth candle, known as the shamash, is used to light the others.

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Festival of Lights -

Due to the significance of the candles, Hanukkah is often referred to as the Festival of Lights. Large public menorahs are displayed around the world during the holiday, as well as small individual ones in homes.

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The nightly ritual -

The nightly lighting of the candle usually involves some kind of ritual including the reciting of blessings.

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Sharing the miracle -

The menorah is often displayed somewhere visible in a window so that others may be reminded of the miracle that inspired the holiday.

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Traditional foods -

The traditional foods eaten during Hanukkah are fried in oil as a nod to the miracle of the oil. In many households, decadent deep-fried donuts filled with jam are eaten. They’re known as sufganiyot.

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Traditional foods - Some families prefer to eat a kind of deep-fried potato cake known as a latke. There is an ongoing debate about whether these are best served with sour cream or applesauce. Why not both?

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Gift giving -

Hanukkah customs also include gift exchanges and specific toys. The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top given to children to play with. It has a letter of the Hebrew alphabet on each side, which collectively stand for the phrase "a great miracle happened there."

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History of the dreidel - It’s believed that the dreidel custom was inspired by the devout Jews who worshipped in secret under the rule of Antiochus IV. They would study the Torah in seclusion, sometimes in caves, until Antiochus’ soldiers came to search. They would hide their scrolls and take out dreidels instead to avoid being caught.

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Hanukkah and Christmas - Over time the commercial, gift-giving element of Hanukkah has grown massively. This is partly due to its crossover with Christmas, as it’s usually celebrated at a similar time.

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The Hebrew calendar -

Hanukkah begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar, which usually falls in November or December.

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Is it the most important Jewish holiday? - Although Hanukkah is the best-known Jewish holiday, most Rabbis don't consider it to be the most significant. Other holidays such as Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) or Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) carry much greater importance.

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The rise of Hanukkah -

The rise in popularity of Hanukkah, particularly in North America, is largely attributed to businesses profiting on the holiday and its closeness to Christmas. But let's see how Hanukkah is really celebrated around the world.

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Washington, 2018 -

A group of pre-schoolers learn how to light a menorah at a synagogue a few days before the start of Hanukkah in Washington, D.C.

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Berlin, 2012 - Two Rabbis raise a large menorah in front of Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to mark the beginning of Hanukkah.

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London, 2005 -

A nursing home in an Orthodox Jewish community in Stamford Hill displays their menorahs in the window. Each resident has their own menorah to light.

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Moscow, 2017 -

Jewish people dance during Hanukkah celebrations in central Moscow in 2017.

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Jerusalem, 2019 -

Orthodox Jewish men light the candles of many menorahs outdoors on the third night of Hanukkah in 2019.

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Budapest, 2017 -

Jewish Hungarians gather in the Western Square in the center of Budapest to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, during which time a giant menorah was lit. 

Sources: (History) (CNN)

See also: Winter holidays around the world other than Christmas

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