This is a popular
eight day Jewish celebration of the Festival of
Lights. "According to the legend, when Jewish
revolutionaries recaptured the temple in Jerusalem
from their Syrian oppressors in 165B.C.E., they found
only one cruse of oil, enough to light the temple
lamp for one day. Miraculously, the lamp burned for
eight days, by which time more oil had been found.
This event is celebrated by lighting one candle each
night for eight consecutive nights, which are
contained in a nine candle candelabrum, the night one
for lighting the other eight.
The seven branched candelabrum is described in the
books of Exodus and Kings, but there is no mention of
the Hanukah menorah. The menorahs are made of gold,
silver, wood, bronze, tin, glass and ceramics.
(Bill Broadway, The Washington Post, 12/7/96)
10 Commandments