By Marie Mulvenna

When the evening sun sets on Thursday, December 20, the Jewish community begins the celebration of the Feast of Lights – in Hebrew, called “Hanukah.” The word itself means “dedication” and it is spelled in many different ways.

Perhaps because candles are a very important part of the Hanukah observance, many Christians have referred to it as the “Jewish Christmas,” a very incorrect reference.

The only parallels between Christmas and Hanukah lie in the use of candles and the fact that both holidays fall on the 25th day of the month. The first day of Hanukah is the 25th of the Jewish lunar month of Kislev. In modern times some Jewish people exchange gifts at Hanukah, but that is an innovation, probably due to its calendar proximity to St. Nicholas day (December 6) or to Christmas.

Hanukah is a joyful festival. It is one of the most recent in Hebrew lore – less than 2,040 years old. The other festivals are much older.

In 165 BC (or as the Jews say, “Before the Common Era”) the temple in Jerusalem was in the hands of the polytheistic Syrians and Greeks who had conquered the holy city. The conquerors had pillaged the city and the temple and had desecrated the Holy of Holies where the sacred ark was located.

The hero of the war in which Jerusalem was recaptured by the Jews was Judah Maccabee. By a clever military maneuver he and his soldiers caught the invaders off-guard and took the temple. Their first concern was the eternal light which always burned with holy oil supplied by the consecrating priests. The soldiers of Judah found the lamp but there was only one day’s supply of oil. It would take a whole week to go through the ceremonial rites for consecrating more oil. By faith they kindled the lamp. Then there was a miracle; the flame burned for eight days.

So, in the Jewish home Thursday night there will be a special Hanukah menorah (candle stand). It will have holders for nine candles. One will be used for lighting the others. Each day at sundown one more candle will be kindled until the sundown of the second day of Tebet.

The candles in the homes will be lit after the family has gone late Thursday afternoon to the synagogue for lighting the Hanukah lamp that hangs there through the festival.

One rule is that the Hanukah candles must be used only for a witness to the faith they represent. In other words, they must not be used for shedding light for work or reading or to the illuminating in the home. The candles do not burn all night. Usually, they last about a half-hour. They are not supposed to burn more than 30 minutes after the stars appear in the skies.

But there is more than lighting candles. Even more important are the prayers that accompany the lighting. On the first night, the one who lights the candles offers a benediction: “Praised by you, O Lord, ruler of the universe, who have granted us life and have sustained us to celebrate this joyful festival.” On later nights other prayers are added, as the faithful Jew acknowledges the miraculous greatness of the Holy One, and gives thanks for the courage of brave men who dared to rescue the Holy Place in the ancient temple.

Today the Jew thinks of those who are in exile and under persecution and gives thanks that the chosen people are an eternal people.