Hanukkah is a celebration of religious freedom that dates back to the second century B.C., when Syrian Greeks reigned over Syria, Egypt and Palestine, massacring Jews and desecrating the Temple in Jerusalem.

When an army of men called the Maccabees launched a successful revolt against the Syrians, the Temple was rededicated.

According to stories in the Talmud, the writings that constitute Jewish civil and religious law, little oil was left undefiled in the Temple at the time of the rededication.

Oil was needed for the menorah, or candelabrum, in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout the night every night.

There was only enough oil to burn for one day, but stories say the oil burned for eight days, allowing enough time to prepare more oil for the menorah.

An eight-day festival was declared to commemorate the miracle. The Hebrew word Hanukkah means dedication.

Hanukkah customs include lighting a special menorah with eight branches; spinning the dreidel, a top with Hebrew letters on its sides; eating oily foods like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts); and giving gelt, or chocolate coins, to children.

Because the Hebrew calendar is a lunisolar calendar, based on both the moon and the sun, Hanukkah begins on a different date each year on the secular calendar. This year, Hanukkah began at sundown Tuesday. It will continue until sundown Dec. 15.

Although Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday because it is not in the Bible, it is probably the most widely recognized by Christians because it falls during the Christmas season.

The major Jewish holidays are Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, and Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, followed by Passover, which commemorates the Exodus from Egypt.