“It was the Feast of the Dedication in Jerusalem. It was winter,
and Jesus was walking in the Temple, in Solomon’s Porch”
(John 10:22-23 New Testament for Everyone).
This year, the eight days of Hanukkah begin at sundown on the evening of December 25, 2024 and end at sundown on January 2, 2025.
Hanukkah, which is Hebrew for “dedication,” is the Festival of Lights.
According to My Jewish Learning, “Hanukkah commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrian Greek army, and the subsequent miracle of rededicating the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and restoring its menorah, or lamp. The miracle of Hanukkah is that only one vial of oil was found with just enough oil to illuminate the Temple lamp for one day, and yet it lasted for eight full days.”
In my opinion, the primary miracle of Hanukkah initially lasted in the Jewish Temple for eight days, but the secondary miracle continues to last in the hearts and minds of everyone dedicated to religious freedom.
In the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, “Though my faith is not yours and your faith is not mine, if we are each free to light our own flame, together we can banish some of the darkness of the world.”
~ Boethius ~