Happy Hanukkah 2014

On Tuesday evening, Jews will light their menorahs for the first night of Hanukkah.

The Hanukkah story celebrates two events. The first describes how a small army of Jews, led by the Maccabee brothers, defeated the Seleucid Greco-Syrian Empire in Jerusalem. At the time, the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes outlawed the Jewish religion, desecrated the Second Temple and made Jews sacrifice pigs -- a non-kosher animal -- on its altar.

After the Maccabees defeated the Greeks, they rededicated the Second Temple. To do so, they needed to light the menorah -- a candelabra inside the temple that was part of daily Temple service -- each night. The Maccabees were able to do so with a small drop of oil that lasted for eight nights. The event is considered a miracle since it gave the Maccabees enough time to find a fresh batch of oil.

Each night, for eight nights, Jews light a branch of a menorah. The middle and tallest branch of the candelabra houses the shamash (helper candle) that's used to light the other candles. Each night, a new candle is placed from right to left. They are lit from left to right. Three blessings are said during this time. Jews are told to place the menorah in the front windows of their homes to publicize the Hanukkah miracle.

Gift-giving has become associated with Hanukkah. This tradition is believed to stem from the influence of Christmas. Usually presents are given by parents to their children. “Gelt,” or small amounts of money, are the only traditional gift associated with the holiday.