Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE. It is celebrated by lighting one candle on a nine-branched candelabrum called a menorah each night, recalling how a small jar of oil miraculously lasted eight days. Games involving a four-sided top are played to help children remember the great miracle. The festival celebrates how God protected the Jewish people when their temple was desecrated by Syrian Greeks and they were able to reclaim it through rebellion led by the Maccabees.

1. Hanukkah!
By Janiece
8A

2. What Is Hanukkah?
• Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that celebrated,
lasting eight days from the 25th in December.
It is marked by the lighting the nine candles
each day.
• They would pray, feast and have a good time.
• It’s a enjoyable and reflective time for the
Jews so they can have a fresh start.

3. How Is It Celebrated?
• Hanukkah is celebrated by lighting one candle
on the Menorah (an nine-stemmed
candelabrum) each day.
• Hanukkah symbolises how God looked after
the Jewish people at difficult times.
• Games are often played at Hanukkah. The
most common game uses a dreidel and is a
popular way of helping children to remember
the great miracle.

4. How Did It Originate?
• The festival reminds Jews of a time over 2500 years ago when Antiochus, a Syrian king,
tried to make the Jewish people worship Greek gods. A statue of Antiochus was made in
the Jewish temple and the Jews were ordered to bow down before him. The Ten
Commandments forbid Jews to worship statues or idols and so they refused.
• A small group of Jews called Maccabees rebelled, and after a three year war they
recaptured Jerusalem from the Syrians.
• The Jews had to clean and repair the Temple, and when they were finished they
rededicated it to God. They did this by lighting the Menorah - which was a symbol of
God's presence. Only one small jar of oil was found, enough for one day, but
miraculously the lamp stayed alight for eight days.

5. Why I Chose It.
• I chose the festival Hanukkah because I think
its important for Jews to celebrate the fact
that god helped them and kept the lamp
burning.
• So they know god can do miracles and is at
hand when they need it.

6. Pictures
• Here are some pictures of Hanukkah: