Hanukkah

The festival of lights celebrated over eight days and nights to commemorate the memory of the re-dedication of the Old second temple at Jerusalem after Maccabees miraculously won the war over a larger army of the Greek-Syrians who were oppressing the lives and beliefs of the community. 

Hanukkah traditionally falls on the 25th day of the month of Kislev in the Hebrew Calendar which is December 22nd to 30th, this year coinciding with the Christmas. According to the Hebrew Calendar the Hanukkah can fall between any day from the last week of November to December in the Gregorian Calendar. 

A candle is lit each night adding up to eight candle on the final night. In Kerala, our Nehemia Mootha, died on the first candle of the Hannukah and is buried in the Chakka Maadam cemetery of the Kadavumbhagam Synagogue. Interestingly the saint's tomb is the only one that survived the local encroachment after the "Alia". This year, surprisingly after the service at the Synagogue the gathering walked all the way to the saints tomb and the elder made a talk about him. We found it very interesting as there was no such precedence. 

"Happy Hanukkah"