Can't wait for Chanukah
Category: Society
Posted: Dec 03, 2007 07:57 am
(posted by: Kristyn)
As I sit here on the day before Chanukah, I anticipate the upcoming events to occur during the upcoming week. For eight days there will be time with the family, the beautiful candles, the delicious food, the fun games, and just plain old fun, fun, fun! It is particularly exciting because this will be the first Chanukah that my daughter will truly be able to take in and enjoy. I cannot wait to teach her to how to play dreidel, eat latkes, and appreciate our heritage.
Although Chanukah (or Hannukah) is a minor holiday I still take it seriously. Chanukah marks the re-dedication of the temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by the forces of the cruel King Antiochus and commemorates the miracle of the oil.
Basically, the story goes that the Jewish people lived in the land of Judea which was ruled by the king of Syria. Jews were free to worship as they pleased and paid taxes to the Syrian king. But things changed once Antiochus ascended the throne. The temple in Jerusalem was looted, Jews were massacred, and Judaism was outlawed. The king even erected an altar to Zeus in their temple. Tired of the king's oppression and tyranny, the Jews banded together to form a small army, led by the Maccabees. After their victory, the Jews re-dedicated and cleansed the temple. But there was only enough oil in the temple for one day. But by some great miracle, the oil lasted for eight days, allowing the Jews to make more. This leads to the tradition of lighting the eight candles on the chanukiah or menorah.
There are many different versions of this story as well as many other different stories that surround this holiday, but this is the main one that defines it. I will be sure to post more stories when I think of them for whoever would enjoy them.
