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Hanukkah is an annual Jewish Festival which is celebrated in December. This festival, also called the ‘Festival of Lights’ is celebrated for eight successive days and nights. The History of Hanukkah dates back to 2nd century BC, when Antiochus IV Epiphanies, the Greek king was the overlord of Palestine and Syria. The festival honours the rededication of the ‘Temple of Jerusalem’ (Temple of Menorah) by the great Judas McCabe in 165 BC.

Hanukkah means ‘dedication’ in Jewish. They lit the whole temple as a dedication to the worship of Zeus. To light the temple Judah and his men required oil. They searched for oil everywhere and at last found a little flask that had sufficient oil to light the menorah for one day. But miraculously the oil lasted for eight days. By this time they could manage more oil and keep the menorah lit. Henceforth Jewish people celebrate the festival of Hanukkah lighting candles or lamps in a menorah for eight days.

The tradition of getting gifts on each day of the eight day celebrations of Hanukkah is a recent business. It is believed that since Christians exchange gifts at Christmas, Jewish too started the tradition of exchanging gifts other than coins at Hanukkah. Traditional foods consumed during the festival are mostly fried in oil which is again symbolic to the miraculous oil that lasted for eight days.

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