Hanukkah

Hanukkah
Hanukkah an eight-day celebration by the Jew's. This Jewish holiday is a rededication of the second temple in Jerusalem. Hanukkah means dedication is Hebrew language and begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar. This holiday normally falls in between November and December on the American calendar. People celebrate Hanukkah with lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games, and gifts.
Story behind the meaning
Hanukkah was inspired by a terrible event that took place around 200 B.C. Judea, the land of Israel, had became controlled by Antiochus III. Antiochus III was the king of Syria. He let the Jew's keep practicing their religion but his son, Antiochus IV, on the other hand was more evil and diminishing. Antiochus IV outlawed the Jew's and made them worship the Greek God's. In 168 B.C., Antiochus IV, sent his soldiers to kill the Jew's and tear up their city's holy Second Temple and sacrificing pigs within its sacred walls. The Jewish community was led by the priest, Mattathias and his five sons, to fight back for the Jewish land and Second Temple. When Mattathias died in 166 B.C., Mattathias son, Judah Maccabee, stepped up to the plate and gain control back of their land. Judah took back control of the land after two years, finally pushing Antiochus out of Jerusalem. Judah relied on different tactics, such as guerilla warfare. He gathers followers to help clean and restore the alter of the Second Temple and light the menorah. A menorah is candelabrum with nine branches that represent knowledge and creation.
Representation
The menorah represents the days that the flames stayed lit, helping the Jewish people find fresh supply. There are two type of candle holders, the menorah, which has only seven branches, and the chanukkiah, which has nine branches. The Jew's believed that this was a miracle because there was only enough olive oil for the candles to burn for one day. This inspired them to start an eight-day festival. The tradition revolved around a nine branch candelabra called chanukkiah in Hebrew. During the eight-day celebration, one candle is lit after sun down each night by the ninth candle. The ninth candle is called Shamash or also known as the helper. The Jew's will gather and sing songs and blessings as the display the menorah the their window in the remembrance of the Jewish miracle. Over the years, the celebrations of Hanukkah as changed is different households. Some people celebrate this Jewish holiday by passing out gifts and spinning four-sides tops (dreidels). Although, others just do fried oil foods and jelly filled donuts. In recent years, the Hanukkah holiday as blown up to the major scene because it is so close to Christmas, but it still does not get a much recognition by people getting off work or schools closing.
Religious Practices
This year, Hanukkah will be held between November 27th and December 5th. Back then the Jew's used the menorah and in recent years they have been using the chanukkiah. The candles are added to the chanukkiah branches from right to left, but they are lit from left to right. As the Jew's light their candles, they say a prayer together. This prayer could be recited after the candle is lit as well. Once the candle(s) are lit, they must stay on the branches of the chanukkiah. They cannot be used for any other purpose. The Jew's have a high respect level for their holiday because of the history and background that came with it. They practice this every year around different times because the calendar days always change. The Jew's celebrate this holiday like others but in a different way. They play games, gives gifts, cook food, and say prayers like other families. The only differences is that they do their religious practices within eight days because of their historical background.
Theological and Culture Differences
Hanukkah is a very strong holiday for Jewish people who celebrate it because it is a feel of freedom from the struggle and pain that their ancestors fought for. Their ancestors for the freedom to represent and worship their religious right. According to "Hanukkah Themes And Theology" (n.d.), "Hanukkah is a ongoing struggle of liberation in the face of oppression." The difference between some of the cultures that celebrate their holidays are that the Jew's look at Hanukkah as a celebration of freedom and some look at it as salvage. The Jew's represent their chanukkiah well by the display of it in their windows and doorways, but they will leave it un-visible to the public if they feel a sense of danger to their family. Different culture respond to holidays different from others. For example, African American, hold Martin Luther King Day as a representation of freedom from slavery and others just look at it as another day. People have to understand the cultural background of a religion to understand the celebration of different holidays that they worship.

Reference
A&E Television Network LLC. (1996-2013). Hanukkah. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/hanukkah
Hanukkah-Religion Facts. (2004-2013). Retrieved from http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/holidays/hanukkah.htm
Hanukkah Theme and Theology. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Hanukkah/Themes_and_Theology.shtml
Hill, B. (2007). Hanukkah-The Feast of Dedication. Retrieved from http://www.ascensionministries.net/theHanukkahStory.php