Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah, is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight consecutive days and nights. Although celebrated with robust enthusiasm worldwide, it holds a particularly special place in Israel. Often referred to as the 'Festival of Lights,' the first day of Hanukkah marks the beginning of this traditional celebration.
The holiday commemorates the rededication of the second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, an event that took place in the second century BC. When the holy temple was reclaimed by the Maccabees and found to have very little oil left to light the Menorah, the small quantity miraculously lasted for eight days. The first day of Hanukkah marks the start of this miraculous event.
Celebrations in Israel on the first day of Hanukkah are quite eventful. People light the first candle of the Hanukkiah (a nine-branched candlestick), indulge in eating traditional foods like jelly-filled doughnuts and potato pancakes, play games with a four-sided spinning top known as a dreidel, and exchange gifts. Homes, synagogues, and streets are illuminated with Hanukkiah, creating a magical atmosphere. Hanukkah reaffirms the continuity of Jewish life and symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness.