hanukkaa

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday celebrated annually from the 25th day of Kislev to the second day of Tevet on the Hebrew calendar. It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem following its desecration by the Syrian-Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167 BCE. The holiday is marked by the miracle of the oil in the Temple lasting for eight nights, which is symbolized by the lighting of the menorah, a nine-branched candelabrum.

The holiday begins with the selection of a new menorah, which is then blessed and lit on the first night. Each night, an additional candle is lit, culminating in all nine candles being lit on the final night. The menorah is placed in a window or on a windowsill to provide light for the community. The holiday is also marked by the recitation of the Hanukkah blessings, the reading of the Megillah Ta'anit, and the giving of gifts, known as Hanukkah gelt.

Hanukkah is celebrated by Jews around the world, with some communities also celebrating it with special foods, such as latkes, sufganiyot, and jelly donuts. The holiday is an important time for Jewish families to come together and share in the joy of the miracle of Hanukkah. It is also a time for reflection on the importance of faith and the power of light in overcoming darkness.