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It is the natural order of things where the dominating culture’s rituals and beliefs are the norm. In a multicultural society, the exploration of minority rituals and beliefs allow for an opportunity for growth and further life enrichment.

I spent my first nine years of life living in New Jersey where a Jewish population was less scarce than it is in Arizona. I’m not sure if it was truly less scare or if my image of Jewish people is too narrow. My perception may not be far off since I recall learning the Dreidel song, coloring pictures of Menorahs and eating Halavah. All of that came to an end when I moved to Arizona. In either case, the December holiday contest which ends on December 20^th, (like the subtle hint? J) is the perfect opportunity to learn more about multicultural holidays.

The story of Hanukkah is left out of the Hebrew canon of the Bible but is told in the 1^st and 2^nd Maccabees, Bible books named after a band of Jewish fighters who freed Israel from the Syrian Greeks who occupied it at the time. Unable to observe autumn holiday of Sukkot due to battle, the band of fighters decided to celebrate after rededicating the Temple which took place on the 25^th of the month in 164 B.C.E. Since Sukkot lasts seven days, the timeframe was adopted for Hanukkah.  Formerly known as the Festival of Lights, a century after its origination, the name was changed to Hanukkah which is Hebrew for “Dedication”.

The development of the holiday took place over nearly a 600-year period across several religious texts since the originating event brought about by the Maccabees. During that time, several stories are associated with the meaning of the holiday which now involves the reverence of a miraculous jar that burned for eight days.

Regardless of which story is associated with the development of the Hannakuh story, the universal themes of religious freedom, oppression, identity, and expression.

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