Background on Hanukkah for Teachers

King Antiochus IV came to power in Syria at about the year 176 BCE (Before Common Era, also know as BC = Before Christ.) It was Antiochus' desire to eradicate Jewry and force Jews to adopt Greek ways and worship the many Greek gods.

In 168 BCE Antiochus entered the Jewish Temple in Israel and desecrated the sanctuary, plundered the Temple treasures and erected statues of Greek gods, known as idols, in the Temple. The Temple was destroyed, so also was our ability to practice Judaism.

Mattathias Maccabee and all of his five sons rebelled against Antiochus during his reign. When Antiochus desecrated the Temple it was Judah, the most famous of Mattathias' sons, who fought with the soldiers and called out, "All who are for G-d and who believe what I believe, follow me!" Judah and his followers ran into the hills. They fought the Syrian army for their right to live and worship as Jews for three years.

Evenutally, Judah Maccabee and his followers were victorious. When they came out of the hills to clean and rededicate the Temple to G-d, they saw that there was only enough oil to light the ner tamid, the perpetual light in the sanctuary, for one day. But it takes eight days to prepare more olive oil. What to do?

They chose to light the menorah anyway. By some miracle, oil for one day lasted for eight, and there was enough time to ready more oil to keep the light burning. That is one reason why we celebrate Hanuka for eight nights, to commemorate the miracle.

On each night of Hanuka, we light the shamash candle first. The shamash is the worker candle, and is used to light the hanuka candles. On the first night the shamash is lit, the prayers are said, and the first hanuka candle is lit. Every night we do it again, adding one more candle.

The Hanukah menorah is placed in window to announce to the world the miracle of the Hanuka lights. It is also a testament to everybody's right to religious freedom, and a commemoration of a rag-tag band of people who refused to give up, and fought an army until they had secured their right to their Temple and their religious freedom.

For more on Hanuka traditions (dreidls, latkes, etc.) and lesson plans, you can search through the Bright Hub Education site. I also encourage you to visit www.morim.org for in-depth discussions, information on Jewish practices (then and now,) and lesson plans. From the home page, hit the "calendar" link, then "December" and hit the link on the December calendar for "Erev Hanuka."