Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of lights, which began yesterday. Lasting 8 days, the holiday celebrates light conquering darkness (in particular, it celebrates the day the Jews conquered the Greeks and reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem from the Greeks who had desecrated it). 

Though the holiday doesn’t typically receive as much participation and significance as Yom Kippur or Rosh Hashanah, many Jews still practice lighting the menorah and other holiday traditions. The menorah is a candle-holder with 9 candles in it (one for each night of Hanukkah plus a “servant” candle). Tonight, 2 candles will be lit, as today marks day 2 of Hanukkah. 

In New York City, locals kicked off Hanukkah with the lighting of a giant menorah (12-feet high). The ceremony was dedicated to Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, formerly of Brooklyn, and his wife Rivka who were killed in Mumbai during the terrorist attacks at the Taj Mahaj Palace in Mumbai, India, on November 28. 

(As an aside, the rabbi and his wife are survived by two small boys, one of whom was at their side when they were killed. To learn more about them or to help them this holiday season, visit the Holtzberg relief fund Web site.)

Happy Hanukkah!

Copyright 2009 Religion Transcends.

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