Why Hanukkah Has Eight Candles: The Story of the Maccabees

Every year, Jewish families all over the world light candles in a special candleholder called a hanukkiah. They light one candle on the first night, two on the second, three on the third — and so on until all eight are glowing on the final night. Why eight? The answer takes us back more than 2,000 years to a tiny jar of olive oil in ancient Jerusalem — and a miracle that people still celebrate today.

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to: - Tell the story of why Hanukkah lasts eight nights - Name three things families do to celebrate Hanukkah - Explain what a hanukkiah is and how it works - Understand that Hanukkah is a celebration of light, courage, and keeping traditions alive

More than 2,000 years ago, a king named Antiochus ruled the land where the Jewish people lived. He made a law saying that no one was allowed to follow Jewish traditions or pray at the Temple in Jerusalem — the most sacred place in Jewish life. A brave family called the Maccabees refused to obey. Their leader was Judah Maccabee, and he and his followers fought back against an army far larger than their own. Against great odds, the Maccabees won and reclaimed their Temple. When they went to rededicate the Temple — to make it holy again — they needed to light the Temple's sacred lamp, the menorah. They searched and found only one small jar of the special oil used for this purpose. It was barely enough to burn for one day. Making more would take eight days. They lit the lamp anyway. And the oil burned... for all eight days. Many people say this was a miracle. In Hebrew, the word Hanukkah means dedication. The holiday honors the rededication of the Temple and the miracle of the light.

Hanukkah lasts for eight nights, usually in November or December. Every night, families gather around the hanukkiah to light candles together. The hanukkiah has nine spots for candles: eight for the miracle nights, plus one special candle called the shamash, which means helper. The shamash is always lit first and is then used to light the other candles for that evening. Other beloved Hanukkah traditions include: Dreidel — a four-sided spinning top with Hebrew letters on each side. The letters stand for the phrase 'a great miracle happened there.' Families play games with the dreidel and use chocolate coins called gelt as prizes. Foods fried in oil — to remember the miracle of the oil, traditional Hanukkah foods are fried. Latkes are crispy potato pancakes. Sufganiyot are jelly-filled doughnuts. Both are delicious reminders of why the holiday exists. Gifts and songs — many families exchange small gifts each night and sing songs like Ma'oz Tsur, a Hebrew hymn of thanksgiving.

Hanukkah candles are traditionally placed in a window so that people passing by can see the light shining outward. This is called publicizing the miracle — sharing the story of what happened with the whole world. For Jewish families everywhere, those eight small flames connect them to a story more than 2,000 years old — a story about courage, about refusing to give up, and about finding light even when things seem very dark. That is a message worth celebrating every year.