Alright. This happened a very long time ago in human terms, when the world was in a constant state of conquest. Israel, the home of the Jewish people, was conquered by the Syrians. They forced us to worship their gods in place of our own and desecrated our temples.
Hanukkah in part celebrates the war fought to reclaim our land and our religion, led by the priest Mattathias and later his son Judah. They drove the Syrians from Israel and reclaimed the temple, which leads us to why Hanukkah is traditionally celebrated for eight nights. As part of the re-dedication of the temple the menorah was re-lit, but there was precious little oil. A supply that should have only lasted for one day is said to have miraculously lasted for eight, giving time to obtain more and keep the flames burning uninterrupted.
It really is a fascinating story, and much of the original history is lost in the modern celebration.
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Hanukkah in part celebrates the war fought to reclaim our land and our religion, led by the priest Mattathias and later his son Judah. They drove the Syrians from Israel and reclaimed the temple, which leads us to why Hanukkah is traditionally celebrated for eight nights. As part of the re-dedication of the temple the menorah was re-lit, but there was precious little oil. A supply that should have only lasted for one day is said to have miraculously lasted for eight, giving time to obtain more and keep the flames burning uninterrupted.
It really is a fascinating story, and much of the original history is lost in the modern celebration.