Menorah
Mensaje De Audio En Español
Audio Message In English
The story of Hanukkah is about the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after a group of Jewish fighters, known as the Maccabees, liberated it from foreign occupiers in the 2nd century BC:
The Persecution
The Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes outlawed Jewish practices and desecrated the Temple by installing an altar to Zeus Olympios and sacrificing pigs.
The Maccabean Revolt
The Maccabees, led by Mattathias and his son Judas Maccabeus, rebelled against Antiochus and regained control of the Temple in the year 167-160 BC.
In the Bible (Catholic) the Maccabees liberated the city of Efron.
The Rededication
The Maccabees cleansed and restored the Temple, removed the symbols of Zeus, and built a new altar.
The Miracle
When the Maccabees first entered the Temple, they found only enough oil to keep the menorah burning for one night. However, the oil miraculously burned for eight days and eight nights, a sign that God was with them.
The Celebration
Judas Maccabee was the leader and proclaimed that the dedication of the Temple should be celebrated every year for eight days, beginning on Kislev 25. This became the eight-day Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, which means “dedication” in Hebrew.
Happy Hanukkah
