Interfaith couples cooperate to celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah, which share the same day this year

Hanukkah and Its Symbols

Hanukkah, sometimes called the Festival of Lights, celebrates the victory of the Maccabee brothers’ rebel army over the larger army of Greek King Antiochus IV, which had defiled the Jewish Temple, killed villagers and forced others into hiding.The upstart Maccabee army regained control of their land from the Greeks, then set about to restore and purify the Temple by burning ritual oil in its menorah for eight days. But they discovered there was only enough oil for one day. They lit the menorah anyway and the oil miraculously lasted eight days.Rabbi Susan Tendler of B’nai Zion Congregation explains that the miracle isn’t just the extended length the oil burned, but the fact “one small family took on an entire army and, through their passion and dedication, overthrew that huge, established army.“If the oil had lasted four days, it still would have been a miracle,” she says. “But eight days was enough time to get a fresh supply of olive oil — that was how long it took to produce a fresh batch — and bring it to the temple.”* Lighting of candles: In commemoration of that eight-day miracle, one candle is lit on the first night of Hanukkah, two on the second and so forth until eight candles are lit. Candles are placed in a menorah, a seven-branch candelabrum that represents seven days of the week, or hanukkiah, a menorah with nine branches. On the hanukkiah, eight candles represent the eight nights the oil burned and the ninth is the shamash, a center candle slightly elevated above the other eight and used to light the others.* Eating fried foods: Because Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of the oil, it is traditional to eat fried foods such as potato latkes and jelly-filled donuts.