Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that originates from the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem by the Maccabees in 164 bce, as detailed in the first two Books of the Maccabees. It is observed by the lighting of candles, a new one for each day of the festival, in a special menorah. It is often called the Festival of Lights. Although not mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures, Hanukkah came to be widely celebrated as one of the most popular Jewish religious observances.
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