In the Hebrew month of Kislev (November or December in the Gregorian calendar), the days grow shorter in Israel and across the Northern Hemisphere.
Toward the end of Kislev, Jews celebrate an eight-day Festival of Lights. We tell the story of the Maccabees, ancient Jews who fought against the Greeks for their religious freedom. We practice the best-known ritual of Hanukkah: lighting the Hanukkah menorah (hanukkiah) for eight nights. Hanukkah is Hebrew for “dedication.” On Hanukkah we teach our children how the Maccabees rededicated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.