The Ambassador of the State of Israel in Nigeria and the entire staff of the embassy wishes you happy holidays as you journey around to meet with family and friends and may the coming year brings the blessings of light, peace and prosperity for all humanity.
Between Christmas and New year, the Jews all over the world will be celebrating Hanukkah.
Chanukah is an eight-day Jewish festival also known as the Festival of Lights. Jews observe the festival by lighting one candle on a nine-branched menorah - or 'hanukiah candelabrum' - each day.
The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication,” and is thus named because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple.
The story of Chanukah begins in the reign of Alexander the Great. Alexander conquered Syria, Egypt and Palestine, but allowed the lands under his control to continue observing their own religions and retain a certain degree of autonomy.
More than a century later, a successor of Alexander, Antiochus IV was in control of the region. He began to oppress the Jews severely, placing a Hellenistic priest in the Temple, massacring Jews, prohibiting the practice of the Jewish religion, and desecrating the Temple by requiring the sacrifice of pigs (a non-kosher animal) on the altar.
Against all odds, a small band of faithful Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, revolted against both the assimilation of the Hellenistic Jews and oppression by the Seleucid Greek government.
They succeeded defeating one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated
When they sought to light the Temple's Menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum), they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks. Miraculously, they lit the menorah and the one-day supply of oil lasted for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of ritual purity.
Happy Hanukkah!
Happy Christmas!
Happy New Year!