Hanukah: The Festival of Lights

For some of us, this time of year means Christmas trees and Jingle Bells; but for many, it is about the menorah, and the celebration of Hanukah.

This year, the eight day Jewish Festival Lights began the night of December 20 with the lighting of one candle on the menorah.  Those celebrating in Laramie and around the world, light one additional candle each night of Hanukah until the final night when eight candles are lit.

Hanukah dates back to a military victory 2,200 years ago by a Jewish group called the Maccabees against the Syrians who hoped to impose their religious beliefs on the Jews.  Today, Hanukah is a reminder of religious freedom and pride through the Hanukah candles; this light, symbolizing the place of God in the lives of man and as a commemoration of the Divine role in the victory by the Maccabees.

Today, Rabbi Harley Karz-Wagman of the Laramie Jewish Community Center says that Hanukah, which means dedication, "...calls us to dedicate our lives to Jewish values (and the similar values of Christianity and other faiths)...

Hanukah calls us to act Maccabean, heroic, and stand up for those counter-trends."

For further information on the Hanukah celebration or activities in the Laramie area, check out the December 22 edition of Laramie Live.