The story of Hanukkah
In a Jewish temple there is
a special lamp. It is called the "Eternal Light."
The lamp is always filled with oil so the light will not go out.
Two thousand years ago, Jewish people did not have their
own king. Antiochus, the king of Syria, was their ruler.
Antiochus did not like the Jewish religion.
Antichous used the Jewish temple for his own religion.
He made atatues of Greek gods in the Jewish temple.He made Jewish bow down
to the Greek statues. If they would not bow down, he killed them.
One Jewish man had five brave sons. They were the Maccabees.
They would not bow down to the statues of the Greek gods.
The Maccabees came the leaders of the Jewish army. Jews
fought against An
tichous and his armies. They got the Temple back. But
the Eternal Light was out.
The Jewish lit the Eternal Light. They had only enough
oil for one day. They had to get more oil. It took eight days to get more
oil. But a mirecle happened. The light did not go out after one day. It burned
for eight days until the new oil was ready.
Since that day, Jews have celebrated the "Miracle of the
Lights," or Hanukkah, every year.
