In the dark month of December, when most people are getting geared up for Christmas, the Jewish people celebrate their own Festival of Lights, Hanukkah (also spelled: Chanukah). Instead of a Christmas tree, they have a Hanukkiah – a special eight-branched menorah - which they light on all eight nights of Hanukkah. Find out what Hanukkah is all about.

Some 2200 years ago, Greco-Syrian Kings ruled the Jewish people. In the second century BCE, King Antiochus Epiphanes outlawed the practice of Judaism. The Jews weren’t allowed to study Torah anymore or observe their religious customs. On King Antiochus’ orders, statues of Greek gods were set up in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and pigs were offered to Zeus.

Because of this, many Jews renounced their Jewish identity. They took on Greek names, married non-Jews and lived a non-Jewish lifestyle.

However, not all Jews assimilated. One courageous Jewish priest, Mattityahu, and his five sons, set up a little army and organized a revolt against the Syrians. After Mattityahu’s death, his oldest son Judah the Maccabee (the hammer) became their leader. The rebels fought a guerilla style war against the Syrian army and won many battles.

Finally, they succeeded in driving the Syrians out of Jerusalem, and out of the Temple. They removed the idols from the Temple and cleaned the altar, but when they wanted to rededicate the Temple, they ran into trouble. They found only one jar with pure olive oil – enough to keep the Menorah burning for one day only. As it would take eight days to make a new batch of purified oil, this was clearly not enough.

When Judah and his followers lit the menorah, however, a miracle took place. The lamp burned not just one day, but it kept burning for eight days. To remember this miracle, the Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah for eight days every year. They light their Hanukkiahs, and eat food fried in oil.

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is a very joyous holiday, during which the Jews celebrate their victory over the Syrians who tried to annihilate them. We light candles, enjoy special holiday treats and give each other presents. Who needs two days of Christmas when they can have eight days of Hanukkah?