Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah) is an eight-day celebration that begins on the 25th day of the month of Kislev.
A Jewish holiday, Hanukkah commemorates the miraculous victory of the Jews, led by the Maccabees, over the Greeks and Antiochus Ephipanes. Hanukkah marks the end of religious persecution and oppression. Hanukkah reminds the Jewish people of God's faithfulness to them as well.
Hanukkah also celebrates a second miracle that accompanied that victory. When the Jews first reentered the Temple at Jerusalem, they wanted to rekindle a special menorah known as the Eternal Light. But they found that the Greeks had desecrated the stock of purified oil that was to be used in the menorah. Only one small flask remained -- enough for just one day. It would take the Jews a week to purify more oil, but the Maccabees lit the menorah anyway. Miraculously, that tiny bit of oil burned not just for one day, but for eight ... giving them the time they needed to purify more oil. Hanukkah lights burn for eight days in remembrance of this miracle.
|Hanukkah Action Rhymes and Fingerplays|
|Hanukkah Arts and Crafts|
|Hanukkah Language Activities|
|Hanukkah Songs for Children|
|Interactive Hanukkah Puzzles|
|Printable Hanukkah Coloring Pages, Puzzles, and Worksheets|
|Printable Hanukkah Word Wall (PDF Format)|
|Recommended Books for Hanukkah|
|When is Hanukkah?|
|Links to Other Hanukkah Resources|
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