The Eight Nights and Days of Hanukah: The Story of Jewish Festival of Lights

Hanukah, otherwise known as the festival of lights, celebrates the miracle of the eight nights and days of Hanukah. For Jews around the world, the story of Hanukkah is a time to celebrate religious freedom, the underlying principle of the Jewish festival of lights. The story of Hanukah tells of the Jews who were persecuted for many years by the Greco-Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes who forced them to worship Greek gods instead of practicing their own Judaism.

Hanukah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees, a small band of Jewish patriots, over the mighty armies of Syrian King Antiochus. When they restored the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, the Maccabees found one jar of pure oil, enough to keep the menorah burning for just one day. But a miracle happened, and the oil burned for eight days. Each night of the holiday, Jews light one more candle, exchange gifts, play dreidel, and eat fried latkes and donuts to remember this victory for religious freedom and the miracle of the oil. Children also play dreidel, a spinning top with four Hebrew letters (nun, gimmel, hey, shin) which stand for "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham," "A Great Miracle Happened There." The Hebrew word for dreidel is "sevivon."

Jewish families light the hanukia (or Hanukkah menorah) in their home to commemorate the miracle of oil. On each night of Hanukkah, the family lights each candle using the head candle called the shamus.

Many Jews are a little frustrated that the story of the Jewish festival of lights isn't as well known as the other more significant Jewish holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Passover.

Happy Chanukah!