A long time ago the country where the Jews lived was taken over by the powerful country of Syria. The king of Syria said that the Jews couldn't worship God any longer. His soldiers took over the Temple. This was the Jews' holiest and greatest building, where they came to worship God. The Syrian army spoiled the Temple by putting up statues of other gods. The people were very angry and afraid. They cried because they loved the Temple and they loved God. But they knew if the Syrian soldiers caught them worshipping God, they would be killed.

When the soldiers came to the home of the old priest Mattathias, he refused to do what the king commanded. He and his sons battled with the soldiers and a long war began. It lasted three years. At last the king's army was defeated and the Jews could go back to their Temple. But what a sight met their eyes! It was even worse than they had feared. Not only had the Syrian army put up statues of their gods, but they had destroyed all the Jews precious and holy things. Once the mess was cleaned up, the Jews came to light the special lamp which showed that the Temple was a holy place. But there was no holy oil to light the lamp, and to make some, would take eight days. The Jews were sad. They didn't want to wait eight days to light the lamp. Then someone found a jar of holy oil. But there was only a tiny amount, barely enough to keep the lamp alight for one day.

Undeterred, the Jews lit the lamp and began their celebrations. "If the lamp goes out," they said, "God will understand the reason why and forgive us."

As the Jews celebrated, a great miracle happened. The lamp, which only had enough oil for one day, kept burning. Two days, three days, four days, five, six, seven, eight days! Eight days the lamp kept alight until the new oil was ready!

So the Jews decided that, from then on, these same eight days would be celebrated every year to remember what God had done for them. This celebration is called Hannukah and, every year, Jews throughout the world, light a candle on each day of the celebration.

A special Hannukah candlestick, with its candles burning, is often put onto the window ledges of Jewish homes. Its light shines out into the darkness and everyone passing, sees it and remembers the miracle of the Temple lamp.