What is Hannukah?

In the second century, the Greeks ruled the Holy Land. The Syrian-Greeks tried to force the people of Israel to accept the Greek culture and beliefs instead of the belief in G-d . A rag tag group of poorly armed Jews drove the Greeks from Israel and reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of G-d. Only a single cruet of olive oil, which would last one day, was found when the Jews tried to light the Menorah in the Temple. The one day cruet of oil lasted for eight days. To commemorate this miracle of the oil lasting 8 days, the festival of Hanukkah was instituted.

Fried foods, like potato latkes (pancakes) and jelly doughnuts (Sufganiyot) are eaten throughout the holiday to celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah: oil that kept the menorah (an ancient lamp) lit for 8 days instead of 1 day.

Happy Hanukkah!!