Everyone knows the story of Christmas, but what many people fail to recognize is that there are other religious holidays in winter. Hanukkah is a Jewish festival, and this year it takes place from Dec. 25 after sundown to Jan 2.
Hanukkah is the celebration of the Maccabees over the Greeks and that a day’s worth of oil allowed the Menorah in the Temple of Jerusalem to stay burning for eight days.
To celebrate the Menorah, on every night of Hanukkah one candle is lit until all eight candles are lit.
Another symbol observed during Hanukkah is the enjoyment of oil-fried foods. Many people enjoy fried jelly donuts, oily latkes and brisket to symbolize the oil lasting eight days.
A couple of fun facts about Hanukkah is that it is not one of the most important Jewish holidays– it’s actually a festival. Hanukkah can also be spelt as Chanukah or Hanukka.
