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Unlock This CourseChanukah is an eight-day festival of light. The word means "dedication", because it remembers the time when the Temple in Jerusalem was made holy again. The story comes from the 2nd century BCE, when the land of Israel was ruled by the Greek-Syrian king Antiochus IV. He wanted everyone in his kingdom to follow Greek customs and religion. He banned Jewish practices, such as keeping Shabbat and studying the Torah.
Antiochus also took over the Temple, the holiest place for Jews. Statues and an altar for Greek worship were put inside it. For Jews this was the desecration of the Temple, which means treating a holy place without respect. Some Jews gave in. Others refused and were punished.
A Jewish priest named Mattathias and his sons led a revolt. His son Judah Maccabee became the leader of the fighters, who were few in number against a large army. They used surprise attacks and won back Jerusalem. The Maccabees then returned to the Temple, cleaned it and rededicated it to the worship of the Almighty.
The Talmud tells the next part of the story. When the Maccabees came to relight the Temple's lamp, they could find only one small jar of pure oil, enough for one day. It would take about eight days to make more. They lit the lamp anyway, and the oil burned for eight days. This is the miracle of the oil. It is the reason the festival lasts eight days.
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Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, which usually falls in December. The festival is mostly celebrated at home with family.
On the first night one candle is lit in the chanukiah. A new one is added each night, so that on the eighth night all eight are burning. The shamash is lit first and used to light the others. A blessing is said as the candles are lit. The chanukiah is often placed in a window so that passers-by can see it, which spreads the news of the miracle.
Families sit together by the lights, sing songs and tell the story of the Maccabees. The candles are not used for reading or working. They are there to be looked at and to remember. This makes Chanukah a time for children and grandparents to share the story.
Jews eat foods fried in oil, to remember the miracle of the oil. Common examples are latkes (potato pancakes) and doughnuts. Many families hold a meal with relatives and friends during the festival.
The dreidel has a Hebrew letter on each side: nun, gimel, hey and shin. Together they stand for the words "A great miracle happened there". Children spin it in a game, often playing for sweets or chocolate coins. Gifts are given to children, and some families also give money to charity.
Chanukah is not described in the Torah, and it is a minor festival in Jewish law. Work is allowed, unlike on Yom Kippur or the first day of Pesach. In recent times, though, it has become much better known. Jews understand its importance in different ways:
Many Orthodox Jews stress the miracle of the oil and the rededication of the Temple. For them Chanukah shows that the Almighty protects the people and that keeping the Torah is worth a struggle. The Maccabees fought to be allowed to practise their religion.
Many Jews, including some who are not very religious, see Chanukah as a story of religious freedom and of the courage to stay true to your identity. It gives Jews a way to celebrate being Jewish, especially in countries where most people follow another religion.
Some Jews would also add that the festival is less important than major festivals such as Yom Kippur or Pesach, and that it should not be treated as one of the major festivals. Others are happy to see it have a larger role, because it brings families together and teaches the story to the next generation.
Jews do not all think about festivals in the same way:
For many Jews, festivals matter because they pass the story of the Jewish people down the generations, bring families and communities together, and remind them of what the Almighty has done. Others think too much stress on festivals can replace real prayer or kind behaviour.
Do not say Chanukah is the most important Jewish festival: it is a minor festival in Jewish law. Do not mix it up with Pesach, which remembers the Exodus. Do not call the shamash one of the eight candles: it is the extra helper. Do not say the Maccabees fought the Romans: they fought the Greek-Syrian ruler Antiochus IV. Make sure you say why a custom matters, not just what Jews do.
(a) Outline two ways in which Jews celebrate Chanukah. [4 marks]
(b) Explain why the events of Chanukah are important for Jews. [6 marks]
(c) "Festivals are more important to Jews today for family life than for religion." Discuss this statement, considering the arguments for and against. In your answer you should include reference to teachings, other points of view and your own opinion. [10 marks]
(a) Jews light the candles of the chanukiah, one more each night for eight nights (1), and place it in the window to spread the news of the miracle (1). They eat foods fried in oil, such as latkes (1), to remember the oil that burned for eight days (1).
(b) Jews believe the events of Chanukah show that the Almighty protects the Jewish people (1). When Antiochus IV desecrated the Temple and banned Jewish practices, a few fighters led by Judah Maccabee won back Jerusalem (1), so Jews see it as a story about courage and religious freedom (1). The rededication of the Temple shows how important it is to keep holy places pure (1). The miracle of the oil, when one day's oil burned for eight days, is a sign that the Almighty was with them (1). The story encourages Jews today to stay faithful to their religion and identity, even when it is hard (1).
(c) Plan. For: festivals such as Chanukah and Pesach bring families together around the candles or the table; many Jews who are not very religious still keep them for this reason; they pass the story to children through the dreidel, songs and meals. Against: for Orthodox Jews, festivals are commands from the Almighty and a way to obey Halakhah; Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are mainly about prayer, repentance and forgiveness; Chanukah's core story is about keeping the Temple and religious practice safe. Possible conclusion: it depends on the Jew and the festival, but because the festivals come from the Jewish religion, the family side grows out of the religious meaning, so I think religion is still the deeper reason, even where family life is the reason people join in.
For a 6-mark "Explain why" question, do not just retell the story. For every event you mention, add a "which means that..." to show why it matters to Jews today.