Chanukah

Holiday in Israel

ISRAEL Also know as Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights, the festival of Chanukah is a holiday period, though it is not a national holiday.

Beginning on the 25th day of the month of Kislev, this holiday is observed for eight days in honour of the historic victory of the Maccabbees against religious oppression.

In Hebrew, Chanukah means 'dedication' or 'consecration'. During the 2nd century BC, the Greek rulers of Antiochus had attempted to dissuade Jews away from Judaism and its traditiojns. The ain was to better integrate them into Greek culture. As part of these efforts, certain aspects of Jewish observance were outlawed, such as the study of Torah

While the attempts had proved successful, a band of Jews rebelled and openly revolted against the changes to their way of life. This small band of rebels waged a campiagn of guerrilla warfare against the Syrians. Antiochus sent thousands of soldiers to quell the rebellion, but the Maccabees managed to drive the Syrians from the land. In December, 164BC Jewish fighters entered Jerusalem. They found the Holy Temple in ruins and had been desecrated by the foreign troops.

In addition to commemorating a military victory, Chanukah remembers the 'miracle of the oil'. After the victory, when the Maccabees came to rededicate the Temple, they discovered they only had one flask of oil left to relight the Menorah. Miraculously, this small flask lasted for eight days, until a new supply of oil was obtained.

Nowadays, Chanukah features the tradition of lighting of a special Chanukah menorah with eight branches, adding a new candle each night. Other customs include eating foods such as potato pancakes and jelly donuts; spinning a top with Hebrew letters on the sides known as the dreidel, and giving money to children.

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