What is Hanukkah, and how is it celebrated?
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Loading... - Mia Graham
- 29 Nov 2021
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Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah, is one of the best-known Jewish holidays. It usually takes place in December close to Christmas, and is sometimes misleadingly referred to as "Jewish Christmas." But apart from the time of year, there are few similarities between the two holidays!
Hanukkah is a celebration of a triumphant moment in Jewish history and the miracle that occurred afterwards. Let's take a look at the real origins of this eight-day festival and how it's celebrated today.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is an eight-day holiday celebrated by the Jewish community. It’s inspired by events that took place more than 2,000 years ago during a turbulent phase in Jewish history.
Antiochus III
Around 200 BCE, Judea, also known as the Land of Israel, was taken over by Antiochus III. Antiochus was the King of Syria and practiced a different religion, but allowed the people of Judea to continue practicing Judaism.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Unfortunately, his son was less open minded. When Antiochus IV Epiphanes became ruler after his father's death, it’s said that he outlawed Judaism and ordered the Jewish people to worship Greek gods.
The massacre of Jerusalem
In 168 BCE, he sent his soldiers to Jerusalem, where they massacred thousands of people and desecrated the holy Second Temple. Historical accounts say that they erected an altar to Zeus and sacrificed pigs inside the temple.
The rebellion of the Maccabees
A Jewish priest named Mattathias and his five sons led a large-scale rebellion against Antiochus IV. When he died, his son Judah Maccabee continued to lead the fight.
Reclaiming Jerusalem
In 164 BCE, Judah and the Jewish people had successfully driven the Syrian monarchy out of Jerusalem. Judah ordered his followers to cleanse and restore the Second Temple, rededicating it to their faith. Read More...
