Hanukkah (lang-he????????, Tiberian: ??nukk?h, nowadays usually spelled ????? IPA-he?anu?kapron in Modern Hebrew, also romanized as Chanukah), also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (Temple in Jerusalem) (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BC, Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.

The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a special candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah (Menorah (Hanukkah)) or Hanukiah, one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. An extra light called a shamash (Hebrew (Hebrew (language)): "guard" or "servant")Citation neededdate=May 2010 is also lit each night for the purpose of lighting the others, and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest. The "shamash" symbolically supplies light that may be used for some secular purpose.