Happy Chanuka!
Every year between the end of November and the end of December,
Jewish people around the world celebrate the holiday of Chanukah,
the Festival of Lights. Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the
Hebrew month of Kislev, but the starting date on the western calender
varies from year to year. The holiday celebrates the events which
took place over 2,300 years ago in the land of Judea, which is now
Israel, my country :-)
The Story of Chanukah
Long ago in the land of Judea there was a Syrian king, Antiochus.
The king ordered the Jewish people to reject their G-d, their
religion, their customs and their beliefs and to worship the Greek
gods. There were some who did as they were told, but many refused.
One who refused was Judah Maccabee.
Judah and his four brothers formed an army and chose as their name
the word "Maccabee", which means hammer. After three years of
fighting, the Maccabees were finally successful in driving the
Syrians out of Israel and reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem. The
Maccabees wanted to clean the building and to remove the hated Greek
symbols and statues. On the 25th day of the month of Kislev, the job
was finished and the temple was rededicated
When Judah and his followers finished cleaning the temple, they
wanted to light the eternal light, known as the N'er Tamid, which is
present in every Jewish house of worship. Once lit, the oil lamp
should never be extinguished
Only a tiny jug of oil was found with only enough for a single day.
The oil lamp was filled and lit. Then a miracle occurred as the tiny
amount of oil stayed lit not for one day, but for eight days
Jews celebrate Chanukah to mark the victory over the Syrians and the
rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. The Festival of the Lights,
Chanukah, lasts for eight days to commemorate the miracle of the oil.
The word Chanukah means "rededication"
Jewish families celebrate Chanukah at home. They give and receive
gifts and Chanuka money (gelt), decorate the house, entertain friends and family, eat special
foods, light the holiday menorah ("Hannukiya") and play with dreidels.
adapted from Holidays on the Net
About Chanukah (Links)
More Chanukah Links
Billy Bear 4 kids Chanuka Page
Play the dreidel online, Make your own dreidel (print & paint), dreidels tic tac toe, Hanukkah Stationery (to print), Hannukah clipart, animated cursors, wallpaper and screen-saver, Jave-based cards, and Chanuka links for kids. Great site!! :-)
Happy Chanuka from Anat!
Chanukah '98
VirtualJerusalem.Com - Chanuka '98
A really great and fun page with lotsa stuff to see and do :-)
Chanuka Guide from Chabad
A very good page about the history of this festival.
Happy Chanuka!
A really good page about the who, what, when, where, why and how of this holiday.
KidsWorks Chanuka Page - a page about Chanuka done by kids.
JCN Hannuka Page
Everything there is to know.
Chanuka from The Pedagogic Center
A lot about the background and history of this holiday.
Chanuka from Caryn.Com
Send Chanuka Greetings
Web Rings
Background and dreidel from:
Chanukiya from:
