This Sunday marks the beginning of Hanukkah, an eight-day celebration that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem more than 2,000 years ago.

The celebration marks the victory of the Maccabees, a small group of Jewish rebels, over the Seleucid Empire, which had restricted Jewish religious practices.

According to tradition, when the Maccabees reclaimed the temple, they found only one day’s worth of purified oil to light the menorah.

Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days, long enough for new oil to be prepared. This event is at the heart of the holiday’s symbolism.

Hanukkah usually falls in December, though the exact dates vary because the Jewish calendar is lunar.

The most recognizable ritual is the lighting of the menorah, or hanukkiah, a nine-branched candelabrum.

One additional candle, called the shamash or helper candle, is used to light one new candle each night until all eight are burning on the final evening, said Rabbi Jay Siegel with Beth Shalom. 

Families often gather at home to recite blessings, sing traditional songs and display the menorah in a window to share the light with the community.  

Another tradition around Hanukkah is enjoying foods cooked by oil, Siegel said.

Because oil is central to the Hanukkah story, dishes fried in oil are especially popular.

Potato pancakes called latkes and jelly-filled doughnuts known as sufganiyot are traditional favorites.

Though Hanukkah is not considered a major religious holiday in Judaism compared with Passover or Yom Kippur, it has become one of the most widely recognized due to its timing near Christmas and its emphasis on family gatherings, celebration and light.

The communal menorah is set to be lit at the Valencia mall on Sunday, Dec. 21 at 5 p.m.

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