Chanukah

Chanukah is also known as the Festival of Lights. It is an 8-day festival that begins on the 25th day of Kislev in the Jewish calendar.

Although Chanukah is one of the better known Jewish holidays, it is not a biblical holiday. It has become widely celebrated, especially in the United States, due to its proximity to Christmas.

The origins of the holiday date back to about 166 BCE, when Israel was under Greek control. Many Jews were becoming assimilated into the Greek culture. Antiochus IV was the ruler of the area. Although up until this time, Jews had enjoyed relative freedom, Antiochus began to restrict Jewish practices. Jews were forbidden to practice their religion under threat of death. The Temple in Jerusalem was desecrated by allowing pigs to roam throughout it.

Mattathias the Hasmonean and his famous son, Judah the Maccabee, organized a revolutionary band to fight the Greek rule and to fight the rampant assimilation. Ultimately, they were successful. The Temple was rededicated to the worship of the Jewish tradition. Tradition has it that, during the rededication, there was only enough sacred oil to light the eternal lamp for 1 day, but it miraculously lasted for 8 days ~ long enough to sanctify fresh oil.