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What event led to Hanukkah?
The eight-day Jewish celebration known as Hanukkah or Chanukah commemorates the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where according to legend Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt.
What miracle caused the celebration of Hanukkah?
Hanukkah, which means “dedication,” commemorates the miracle of light that occurred when Judah rededicated the Temple to the Hebrew god. According to the Talmud (one of Judaism’s holy texts), the Seleucids left only one intact vial of oil, just enough to light the Temple’s candelabrum for one day.
Who was the first president to recognize Hanukkah in the white house?
President Jimmy Carter
President Jimmy Carter was the first president to recognize Hanukkah with a menorah lighting in 1979.
Who started Hanukkah?
Hanukkah began in Israel over 2,000 years ago. According to Jewish tradition, Israel was ruled during the second century B.C. by a Syrian-Greek people called the Seleucids. The Seleucids practiced a form of Zoroastrianism, and they wanted the Jews to adopt their religion and culture.
How was Hanukkah created?
Origin and history Hanukkah commemorates the Maccabean (Hasmonean) victories over the forces of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (reigned 175–164 bce) and the rededication of the Temple on Kislev 25, 164 bce. Hanukkah, therefore, emerged as a celebration of the dedication, as the word itself suggests.
Where is the world’s largest menorah?
NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The world’s largest menorah was lit Sunday night — the first night of Hanukkah — at Manhattan’s Grand Army Plaza at the southeast corner of Central Park. The menorah is 32 feet tall, 28 feet wide — and weighs a whopping 4,000 lbs., according to Guinness World Records.
Who invented Hanukkah?
Hanukkah commemorates a historical event that took place in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE, when the Seleucid Greek empire was the ruling power. In 168 BCE, the king Antiochus IV Epiphanes outlawed Jewish practice and defiled the Jewish Temple in the city by installing an altar to Zeus Olympios and sacrificing pigs.
How tall is the tallest menorah?
See the lighting of one of the world’s largest Hanukkah menorah at Grand Army Plaza, south of Central Park. The menorah is 32 feet tall and weighs about 4,000 pounds!