History of Hanukkah:

Hanukkah is the jewish festival of lights. It's date changes every year depending on the western
calendar and usually falls in November or December. This celebration was first celebrated two
centuries before christianity began. Hanukkah is an 8 day celebration, and Hanukkah means
dedication and it also honours one of the greatest miracles in jewish history. Hanukkah will start
on Sunday December 22- Monday December 30 this year. Hanukkah is celebrated to remind
the jewish people of their victory against the Greeks over 2,000 years ago. They fought the
Greeks to be able to practise their religion without restrictions. At that time, the Greeks had put
a stop to all religious practises for the jews and even forced them to bow before idols. A small
group called the Maccabees fought the greeks for a total of three years and claimed victory.

Jewish Symbols + Significance

Menorah: One of the oldest jewish symbols, it is a seven branched candelabrum used in
temples. It is said that the menorah is a symbol of the nation of israel and their mission to be “a
light unto the nations”. All synagogues have this lit in front of the Ark which is where the Torah
script is kept, called the Ner Tahmid which means eternal light.

Mezuzah: On the doorstep of traditional and nontraditional jewish homes, there is a small case
commonly known as a mezuzah. It is not a good luck charm, rather it is a constant reminder of
God's presence. It is a scroll and is written in a special style of writing and is placed in the case
to fulfill the mitzvah. The mezuzah is always placed at an angle because the rabbis could not
decide whether to place it horizontally or vertically, so they did the in-between.