Hanukkah, also known as the "Festival of Dedication" or "Festival of Lights", is celebrated on the 25th day of Kislev (Hebrew Calendar). Unlike the 7 holy days that God has ordained, Hanukkah is not a holy day or Shabbat (Sabbath), but is instead a great festival of celebration. There are no attachments to Hanukkah such as fasting or eating unleavened bread for 7 days. Hanukkah is a celebration of freedom and the rededication of the temple.

The story of Hanukkah starts with Alexander the Great who was lying upon his death bed when he divided his kingdom amongst five generals, of one was Antiochus Epiphanes. During that time, the Jews had lived under the Persian Empire without interference into their spiritual practices of Torah and their temple.

Now when Alexander's kingdom was divided, the Jews who lived in Palestine fell between two rivals. To the North was Syria (Seleucids) and to the South was Egypt (Ptolmeys). The Jewish people favored the Egyptian rule because of the greater freedom the Jewish people enjoyed.

Antiochus Epiphanes who was the king of Syria had his eye on Egypt and fought against Egypt. The wars between the Syria and Egypt strained the Jewish people, even confusing them as to who to pay their taxes to. Antiochus went after those who favored the Egyptians. In particular he came down on the Jewish people.

Antiochus Epiphanes plundered and killed the Jews until Rome ordered Syria to cease their invasion of Egypt. Antiochus then introduced Hellenism to the Jewish people. He attempted to unify the people under the Greek ideals requiring one religion/cult, one language and one dress.

He sent small units to each of the towns to convert the people. He required the people to worship Zeus, to sacrifice pigs upon altars, to eat swine's flesh, to abandon circumcision, to burn the laws of God, and forget their language. This was all in fulfillment of the prophecies of Daniel.

That was until they came to a town called Modein. This was where a zealous man name Mattit-Yahu stood against the Syrians. He slaughtered the soldiers who came to his town. And his son led the rebellion against the Syrian army striking huge losses against them until their defeat. The highlights of the story can be found in the Apocrypha in 1 Maccabees 2:17-28, 1 Maccabees 2:45-48, 1 Maccabees 1:9, and in 1 Maccabees 10:7-8. Also some relevant points can be found in the bible in 1 Kings 8:2-65, Nehemiah 8:13-18, and 2 Chronicles 2-7.

One of the foods of Hanukkah is Suvganoit which is similar to donuts. Suvganoit is dipped in hot oil till they have a golden look about them. When taken out they are filled with jelly and dusted with powdered sugar. The Suvganoit represents people who walk with God and have a glow about them as they are immersed in God's oil (Holy Spirit). The jelly inside is the goodness of God's people coming out as it is said in Psalms 34:8, "taste and see that the Lord is good."