Hanukkah History
Share this Hanukkah story at your party:  The history of Hanukkah (aka Chanukah) goes back, way back, to when it all started in the year 165 BCE. Hanukkah (Chanukah), the "dedication" and "The Festival of Lights", is a Jewish festival which begins on the Hebrew date of the 25th of Kislev and lasts eight days, through the 2nd of Tevet. Hanukkah commemorates the victory of the Maccabees (led by Judah) over the Hellenistic Syrians in a revolt that took place around 165 BCE. The most important Hanukkah ritual is the candle lighting. A candle is lit in a special candleholder called a Menorah. Each night, one more candle is added. The middle candle, called the "Shamash", is used to light each of the other candles and it is lit every night. On the first night of Hanukkah, two candles are lit (the Shamash and the candle for the first night) and on the last night, there are nine lit candles. As you know the story of Chanukah is an interesting tradition... More about the History of Hanukkah. Ever wonder how to decorate a Hanukkah Bush? Hang the branches with ornaments of your choice: perhaps miniature menorahs and oil lamps; dreidels made of paper, wood or lightweight clay; stars of David or animals from Noah's ark. Party Games