Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday (alternatively spelled Chanukah or Chanuka) that means “dedication” in Hebrew. It is an eight-day celebration commemorating the Jewish victory over the armies of Syria in 165 B.C.E. and the subsequent liberation and dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem. Jews celebrate by lighting a hanukkiah (sometimes called a menorah), playing dreidel, and eating latkes and other fried food.
