For eight days during the month of December Jews celebrate Hanukkah (or Chanukah), which means "dedication." This festival, also called Festival of Lights commemorates the victory of the Maccabees (led by Judah) over the Hellenistic Syrians in 165 B.C.E . Jews use B.C.E--Before the Common Era--to designate ancient time.
According to Jewish legend, when the Maccabees had reclaimed the Temple Mount of Jerusalem, the temple had to be rededicated, but only one jar of sacramental oil was found--just enough for one day. However, the oil burned for eight days and based on this miracle, the length of the Hanukkah festival was established. During the celebration Jewish children are out of school, and families and friends gather to sing and eat delicious foods.
Of all the rich rituals that take place during this sacred celebration the most important is the lighting of candles. The candles are placed in a nine-branched candelabrum called a menorah and the first candle to be lit is the center candle. Each night an additional candle is lit using the center candle, which remains lit throughout Hanukkah. There are many types of menorahs, from glass to brass, and most Jewish families have more than one in their home.
Another Hanukkah tradition is to play a game with a four-sided top, which has a different Hebrew letter on each side, called a dreidel. These tops are made of several types of materials such as, wood, metal and olive wood and handpainted with a different Hebrew letter inscribed on each side. The letters form the acronym "Neis gadol hayah sham" which means "A great miracle happened here."
To play the game the children put pennies or candy in a pot then take turns spinning the toy. The child either wins, loses or draws based on the letter they receive when it stops spinning. Each letter has an assigned value:
- Nun means you neither win nor lose.
- Gimel means you take the whole pot.
- Heh means you take half the pot.
- Shin means you must put a coin in the pot.
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