Hanukkah, also known as the “Festival of Lights,” is a Jewishcelebration observed on eight consecutive days. The holiday begins on the25th day of Kislev, which is the third month of the Jewish calendar, or inDecember according to the Gregorian calendar.

“Every year, my family makes sure that for at least one day we all are able to sit down, exchange gifts, light the menorah, say the blessings and spend some time together,” Daniel Marcus, a sophomore in computer science, said. “Sometimes we have latkas (potato pancakes) or light different menorahs to symbolize different stages of our life.”

The festival of lights memorializes the rededication of the temple of Jerusalem by Judas Maccabee in 165 BC, after the Temple had been profaned by the king of Syria and overlord of Palestine, Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

The menorah is lit each night of the holiday to commemorate the miracle that occurred after the Jews announced their victory over the Syrian armies in 165 B.C.E. When Jews came to rededicate the Temple, they found many things were missing or broken, including the golden menorah. They cleaned and repaired the temple and, for the celebration, the Maccabees wanted to light the menorah. However, they found only one small flask of oil with which they could light it. The flask held just enough oil for one day of light, yet the lamp burned for eight days.