Happy Hanukkah!

"May the brightness of Chanukah fill your life with eternal happiness and merriment…. May all the merriment of these eight nights stay in your life forever…. Sending the best on this special occasion to the most beautiful people we know… Happy Hanukkah to you.”

Hanukkah is an eight-day festival that traditionally kicks off on the 25th day of the month of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar.Across the world, Jewish people are preparing for their significant religious holiday, Hanukkah.  Hanukkah,also known as the Festival of Lights , spans across eight nights and is marked with familial love and exchanging presents. Most notably, Hanukkah is marked by lighting eight candles.

This year, that falls on Sunday 18 December and runs until Monday 26 December.Hanukkah is observed on the 25th day of Kislev, a month on the Hebrew calendar which falls anytime between late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.The Jewish calendar works based on the lunar cycle, with new months depending on the new moon, leading to the change in dates.Hanukkah traditionally spelt as “Chanukah”, commemorates the recovery of Jerusalem and rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean revolt, a Jewish rebellion.

The Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire was a civil war between two Jewish camps. It was between those who had assimilated into Creek and Syrian customs and those adamant to impose Jewish laws and traditions.

The traditionalists won and gained control of Israel, leading to the rededication of the Second Temple, a Jewish holy temple standing on the Temple Mount between 516 BCE and 70CE.

After winning the land, the Second Temple was cleansed and a new altar and menorah were rebuilt, after its prior destruction.The Menorah, a candlestick with seven holders to symbolise the seven days of creation, was meant to be burning every night.However, it was during this time the traditional Jewish people believed to have seen a miracle. There was only enough untainted olive oil to keep the menorah’s candles burning for one day; however, the flames flickered for eight nights.

This miracle inspired Hanukkah, the eight-day festival, where the Hanukkah candle, known as the Hanukkah menorah is lit every night.

The Hanukkah menorah has nine holders - one for each of the eight nights and a shamash (helper) to light the other eight.Hanukkah is a joyous festival and is celebrated by family gatherings, gifting presents and prayers and songs.The most important tradition of Hanukkah is lighting the menorah each evening. One candle is lit in the first evening and subsequently, each night that follows, another candle is lit, from left to right.Initially, the menorah was kept outside but later bought inside to guard against any offending neighbours. Now it is traditional to see the menorah in the window of some homes.