HANUKKAH

The festival of lights

Around 200 B.C.; Judea, known today as Israel, was under the rule of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered Jews to worship Greek gods. In 168 B.C. according to the History channel, his soldiers went into Jerusalem and destroyed the Second Temple. Judah Maccabee led a revolt and drove the Syrians out of Jerusalem. He then called for the temple to be rebuilt and the menorah to be lit.

However, there was a problem in his plan to light the menorah-after the revolt; there was only enough untainted oil to keep the menorah lit for only one day.

They lit the menorah anyway but instead of burning out, the oil kept the menorah flickering for eight days, in what the Jewish people saw as a miracle.

Each year, observers of the Jewish faith light their menorahs for eight nights, traditionally in a space where people can see it burning to remind themselves and others of God’s miracle.

To signify this miracle, candles are lit each evening beginning with one candle on the first and adding an additional candle each night for eight nights.