Question

Hanukkah, or Chanukah, is an eight-day Jewish festival. It celebrates the rededication, or reopening, of the Second Temple in Jerusalem almost 2,200 years ago.

Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew. The celebration begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. Kislev is the ninth month of the religious year. It usually falls in November or December.

Hannukah is often called the Festival of Lights. It is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games and gifts.

History of Hanukkah
The events that inspired Hanukkah took place during a time of unrest in Jewish history. A foreign ruler named Antiochus IV Epiphanes of Syria controlled Judea, the Land of Israel. Antiochus IV Epiphanes outlawed the Jewish religion. He ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods. His soldiers put an altar to a Greek god in the city's holy Second Temple. They sacrificed a pig in the temple. They wanted to make it less sacred.

Judah Maccabee and his family fought to drive the Syrians out of Jerusalem. Within two years, the Syrians were gone. Judah told his followers to clean the temple. He told them to rebuild the altar and light the menorah. This gold candelabrum had seven branches. It was supposed to be kept burning every night.

The Hanukkah "miracle"
The Talmud is one of Judaism’s main texts. It says the Jews who were at the rededication of the Second Temple saw a miracle. There was only enough oil to keep the menorah’s candles lit for one day. Yet the flames burned for eight nights. This miracle began a yearly eight-day festival.

Other interpretations of the Hanukkah story
Some historians have a very different idea of the Hanukkah tale. They believe there was a civil war between two groups of Jews in Jerusalem under Antiochus IV. One group of Jews accepted the Greek and Syrian laws and customs. Another group tried to force the others to follow Jewish laws and traditions. The groups who wanted to keep Jewish traditions won. Judah Maccabee's brother took control of the Land of Israel. A Jewish kingdom existed for more than 100 years.

Some Jewish historians have another idea. They think the first Hanukkah may have been a late celebration of Sukkot. Sukkot is one of the most important Jewish holidays. The Jews could not celebrate Sukkot that year because of the fighting. So they may have been celebrating it late.

Hanukkah traditions
On Hanukkah, a menorah with nine branches is lit. The Hebrew word for the menorah is the hanukiah. On each of Hanukka

Answer 1

Do u celebrate Hanukkah? why or why not?

Answer 2

hey how are you and no i do not

Answer 3

mainly because i am not juwish

Answer 4

*jewish

Answer 5

Please do not come here begging me back

Answer 6

i would like for you to unblock me so we can talk please

Answer 7

Make a new account

Answer 8

and deltee the one you have

Answer 9

But i am so far on this one

Answer 10

ok

Answer 11

So do u want to talk to me or not

Answer 12

yes

Answer 13

0k then make a new account

Answer 14

is this an essay or...

Answer 15

Yeah

Answer 16

ok