By: Jennifer Novatt

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday celebrating a miracle from back in the times when the Maccabees had won a victory over the Syrians, who were oppressing the Hebrews.

After their victory over the Syrians, the Maccabees wished to re-dedicate the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. But they found they had only enough oil to light the lamps of the temple for one night. Miraculously, the oil lasted eight nights. Long enough for new oil to be properly prepared.

Hanukkah begins on the twenty-fifth day of the Jewish month of Kislev. The Jewish calendar is primarily based on the lunar cycle, and its dates fluctuate with respect to other calendar systems. Thus the first day of Hanukkah can fall anywhere between November 28th and December 26th.

At nightfall one candle on the menorah is added each night, starting from the right and going to the left. Then the candles are lit from the newest one on the left and then one by one to the right.

The ninth candle, the Shamash, is used for lighting the other candles and is usually set a little apart from the others in the middle of the Menorah.

Hanukah is celebrated anywhere there is a Jewish person's home. The festival of lights is not dependent on a current location, but is a celebration of miracles recorded over 2,000 years ago.

United States Israel

Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah.

Eating foods fried in oil:Latkes (potato pancakes)Sufganiot (doughnuts)

Playing with dreidels (a spinning top with the Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, hei and shin)

Giving Hanukkah gelt (chocolate money)

Our Eight Nights of Hanukkah by Michael J. Rosen

The Chanukah Guest by Eric A. Kimmel Is It Hanukkah Yet? By Nancy Krulik Melly’s Magic Dreidel by Amye Rosenberg Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah by Susan L. Roth Latkes, Latkes Good to Eat – A Chanukah Story

by Naomi Howland A Blue’s Clues Chanukah by Jessica Lissy Chanukah Lights Everywhere by Michael J.

Rosen The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes by Linda Glaser

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/102911/jewish/Chanukah-in-a-Nutshell.htm

http://www.marlo.com/hanukkah.htm http://www.uniquejewishgifts.com/holiday.asp?id=5