Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
What is Hanukkah? Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, also known as the Temple Mount. The holiday lasts for eight days and nights, with each night dedicated to a different part of the story. According to Jewish tradition, when the Maccabees reclaimed their holy temple from Antiochus IV Epiphanes, they found only one container of oil left. Miraculously, this single container lasted for eight days and nights, allowing them to rededicate their temple.
What does Hanukkah mean? Hanukkah means “dedication” or “inauguration” in Hebrew. It’s also sometimes referred to as Chanukah or Channuka. However you spell it, it’s celebrated by lighting candles on an eight-branch menorah every night during the festival.
