One of the many religions in our society today is Judaism. In the Jewish society, Hanukkah, also known as Festival of Lights, is celebrated. This celebration lasts for eight days and starts on the 25th days of Kislev. The name Hanukkah means "to dedicate". Hanukkah is the celebration of when the Jews regained control of Jerusalem and rededicated the Temple. This eight day holiday has many rituals. One of these rituals is that every night at sundown, one candle will be lit to represent each night of Hanukkah. After the lighting of the candles, a hymn Ma'oz Tzur is sung is the candle light. This song was written in Medieval Germany and contains six stanzas. After Ma'oz Tzur, many other song and prayers may be sung and a gift exchange if necessary. Like many other religions and cultures, Judaism celebrates important events that have happened in the religion. In Christianity, the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated by the celebration of Christmas. In the Muslim community, the holiday of Eid ul-Fitrhe celebrates the end of Ramadan, which is the month-long fast.
"Hanukkah." Wikipedia. 15 Feb 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah#Name
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