Jewish observers begin celebrating the Festival of Lights Hanukkah on Wednesday at sunset.
Tradition connects Hanukkah with the Jewish uprising in 167 B.C. against the Syrian king Antiochus IV, who wanted to force the Jews to join the ancient Greek polytheism. After the invaders were expelled from Israel and Jerusalem was taken, the Jews rebuilt their desecrated and partially destroyed temple. On the day of its consecration, the main temple lamp, the menorah, was to be lit, and its fire was to be kept burning constantly. But there was very little oil for the lamp, and according to Jewish tradition, it took eight days to make a new one. When the menorah was lit with the oil they found, the fire burned without interruption for eight days while the new oil was being prepared.
To commemorate this, Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days, with one new candle lit every night in a special eight-candle candlestick.
Hanukkah celebrations will last eight days and end at nightfall on January 2.
