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There are many names for the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. It is also called the Festival of Lights or Festival of Dedication. Sometimes you may also hear about the "Miracle of Light", or "Miracle of Hanukkah". What is the origin of this holiday and why is it called "Festival of Lights"?

Hanukkah dates, like any other Jewish Holiday dates, are based on Jewish calendar. It commences on the 25th day of the month of Kislev, which can fall on any day in late November till late December, and continues for eight days.

Some modern sources would say that Hanukkah is celebrated to commemorate the victory of the Jews over the Syrians in 2nd century BCE. This is only partially correct. The more accurate sources explain that Hanukkah is the annual celebration of the temple re-dedication ("Hanukkah" is "dedication" in Hebrew) after the so called "Maccabee revolt" succeeded.

Around 200 BCE Jews lived as an autonomous people in Judea, which at that time was controlled by Syrians. Jews paid taxes to Syria and accepted its legal authority, but they were free to follow their own faith. However, when Antiochus IV became Syrian king, the Temple in Jerusalem was ruined, and Judaism religion was outlawed. When Antiochus commanded to erect Zeus statue in the Temple, it was the beginning of the end for Syrian reign. The Jewish priest Maccabee and his sons began the revolt.

Some may consider the victory of brothers Maccabees over the all-mighty Syrians as the first miracle, related to the Hanukkah story. How else, without miracles, could inadequately armed Jews to win in a rebellion against all-mighty Syrians, known at this time for their military power? We would never know for sure the real reason, but in 165 BCE troupes, led by Maccabees, were able to re-claim their territories and return to the sacred Temple.

The real story of Hanukkah began later, when Judah Maccabee with his followers entered the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and found the Temple defiled by the Syrians. The desecrated temple was not a suitable place to celebrate the victory. It had to be cleansed again and rededicated to the service of God. However, the Judeans were not able to find enough olive oil to light the lamp (menorah). Finally, in one of the Temple chambers, they came upon a small container of consecrated oil which was barely enough for one evening. Pressing, preparing and consecrating the olive oil was supposed to take days (eight days, to be exact). The Judeans lit the menorah with the small amount of oil available, and the miracle happened: the lamp kept burning not for one evening, but for all the eight nights until new oil was ready. This allowed Jews to dedicate the Temple to God and celebrate the first Hanukkah. After that, it was decreed that all Jews must celebrate this holiday every year, to commemorate the miracle of lights.

This is the miracle of lights that Jews commemorate every year since then by the kindling of the Hanukkah lights, one candle for a day, during eight days of the Hanukkah. Every evening, with the first star, one more candle is added to a special menorah (Hanukiah), to celebrate the Festival of Lights.

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