Hanukkah is not celebrated as much in the United States, only about 5% of people celebrate it in the US. Since we are not exposed to it as much most people don’t even know why Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah.

Hanukkah was created to celebrate freedom from oppression. It all started when Jewish people in the second century B.C. were being oppressed by the Syrian king in Jerusalem. Due to this, they started to revolt which they won. Once they had Jerusalem they decided to rededicate the second temple to Judaism by lighting the menorah’s candles. The miracle of Hanukkah happened because they only had enough olive oil to keep the candles burning for a single day, but they burned for eight days and eight nights. Thankfully it left them enough time to find more oil.

Now Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah by lighting a candle each day and you receive a present each day. During Hanukkah kids run around playing with dreidels while eating gold chocolate coins. Also instead of eating a ham or a turkey they usually eat brisket with common southern European sides. But just like Christmas, it’s a way to bring families together and make them closer.