What is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights. It is an eight-day period of celebration during which Jewish people commemorate the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. This happened at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire.
So What Exactly Happened?
Over 2,000 years ago, Jewish rituals had been banned by Syrian rule. Instead, Jews were instructed to pray to Greek Gods. A group of Jews called the Maccabees fought against this ruling and, after a three-year war, they won.
Post-victory, they set about cleaning and repairing their temple, which had been destroyed during the revolt. They had enough oil to burn a candle in their oil lamp for one day, but miraculously it burnt for 8 days. Therefore, the festival of Hanukkah lasts eight days.
How Do we Celebrate Today?
Each night families gather around their menorahs, which are nine branched candelabras – one candle for each of the eight days of the festivities and the middle candle to light the other eight. On the final night of Hanukkah, or Zot Hanukkah, all of the candles are lit.
During Hanukkah there is a custom of eating fried foods or food baked in oil (preferably olive oil) in commemoration of the miracle in the temple. Most popular foods are latkes or potato pancakes and sufganiyah or jam-filled donuts. Nowadays, Munchachos are the preferred snacks at the Munchquarters!
Scrumptious sufgabiyahs… 
…and latkes!
Absolutely delicious.
If you are Jewish, we at Munchachos would like to wish you a joy-filled Hanukkah season. Chag Urim Sameach!
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