EveryyearbetweentheendofNovemberandtheendofDecember,JewishpeoplearoundtheworldcelebratetheholidayofChanukah,theFestivalofLights.Chanukahbeginsonthe25thdayoftheHebrew(希伯来的)monthofKislev(历法:基色娄月,即犹太教历9月,犹太国历3月,在公历11、12月间,共29或30天),butthestartingdateonthewesterncalendarvariesfromyeartoyear.Theholidaycelebratestheeventswhichtookplaceover2,300yearsagointhelandofJudea(朱迪亚,古巴勒斯坦南部地区,包括今巴勒斯坦南部地区和约旦的西南部地区),whichisnowIsrael.
JewscelebrateChanukahtomarkthevictoryovertheSyriansandtherededicationoftheJerusalemTemple.TheFestivaloftheLights,Chanukah,lastsforeightdaystocommemoratethemiracleoftheoil.ThewordChanukahmeans"rededication".
LongagointhelandofJudeatherewasaSyrianking,Antiochus.ThekingorderedtheJewishpeopletorejecttheirGod,theirreligion,theircustomsandtheirbeliefsandtoworshiptheGreekgods.Thereweresomewhodidastheyweretold,butmanyrefused.OnewhorefusedwasJudahMaccabee.
Judahandhisfourbrothersformedanarmyandchoseastheirnametheword"Maccabee",whichmeanshammer.Afterthreeyearsoffighting,theMaccabeeswerefinallysuccessfulindrivingtheSyriansoutofIsraelandreclaimedtheTempleinJerusalem(耶路撒冷大庙).TheMaccabeeswantedtocleanthebuildingandtoremovethehatedGreeksymbolsandstatues.Onthe25thdayofthemonthofKislev,thejobwasfinishedandthetemplewasrededicated.
WhenJudahandhisfollowersfinishedcleaningthetemple,theywantedtolighttheeternallight,knownastheN’erTamid,whichispresentineveryJewishhouseofworship.Oncelit,theoillampshouldneverbeextinguished.
Onlyatinyjugofoilwasfoundwithonlyenoughforasingleday.Theoillampwasfilledandlit.Thenamiracleoccurredasthetinyamountofoilstayedlitnotforoneday,butforeightdays.
InAmerica,familiescelebrateChanukahathome.Theygiveandreceivegifts,decoratethehouse,entertainfriendsandfamily,eatspecialfoods,andlighttheholidaymenorah(犹太教神殿中用的大烛台).