Background for Hannakah
by Betty Jo Middleton

The joyful Hanukkah celebration of the Jewish people occurs in December, usually at the same time as the Christmas season. Traditionally, it commemorates the rededication of the Temple at Jerusalem. Hanukkah was first celebrated over 2,000 years ago after the Jews, under the leadership of Judah the Maccabee (the Hammer), recaptured the Temple from the Syrians. Because the Syrians had occupied and defiled the Temple, it had to be ritually cleansed Also, the Jews needed to find oil for the sacred lamp. According to legend, the Jews found only one jug of oil which was enough for the lamp to burn just one night But it burned in the lamp for eight days and nights. These eight days and nights became the Hanukkah festival, which Jewish people have celebrated ever since in many lands and under many different circumstances.

The story also says that when the victorious Jews first entered the Temple, they found eight iron spurs abandoned by the Syrians in their flight. On these Spurs the Jews stuck eight candles and the light was the origin of the special menorah (candlestick) which burns during the festival.

Hanukkah has usually been celebrated more in the home than in the synagogue. On each night of Hanukkah, the family gathers around the menorah and lights and blesses the festive candle-- one on the first night, two the second, and so on, until in the final evening all eight are burning. They exchange gifts, play dreidel games, eat latkes, and retell the story of the victory of the Maccabees and the little jug of oil that burned for eight days.