"The Hanukkah Story"

About.com:

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days and nights. It starts on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, which coincides with late November-late December on the secular calendar.

In Hebrew, the word "hanukkah" means “dedication.” The name reminds us that this holiday commemorates the re-dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C.E. MORE...

Howie P.S.: Hanukkah begins tonight, after sundown. In Seattle that will be @ 4:20PM. There will be only eight hours and 26 minutes of daylight, so we really need those candles. I guess you could say Hanukkah is a religious holiday with a political past.