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Event
Information:
Hanukkah, nowadays usually romanized
as Chanukah, also known as the
Festival of Lights is an eight-day
Jewish holiday commemorating the
rededication of the Holy Temple (the
Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the
time of the Maccabean Revolt of the
2nd century BCE, Hanukkah is
observed for eight nights, starting
on the 25th day of Kislev according
to the Hebrew calendar, which may
occur at any time from late November
to late December in the Gregorian
calendar.
The
festival is observed by the kindling
of the lights of a unique
candelabrum, the nine-branched
Menorah or Hanukiah, one additional
light on each night of the holiday,
progressing to eight on the final
night. The typical Menorah consists
of 9 branches. An extra light called
a shamash is also lit each night for
the purpose of lighting the others,
and is given a distinct location,
usually above or below the rest. The
"shamash" symbolically supplies
light that may be used.
From
the Hebrew word for "dedication" or
"consecration", Hanukkah marks the
rededication of the Temple in
Jerusalem (Second Temple) after its
desecration by the forces of the
King of Syria Antiochus IV Epiphanes
and commemorates the "miracle of the
container of oil". According to the
Talmud, at the re-dedication
following the victory of the
Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire,
there was only enough consecrated
olive oil to fuel the eternal flame
in the Temple for one day.
Miraculously, the oil burned for
eight days, which was the length of
time it took to press, prepare and
consecrate fresh olive oil.
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