Hanukkah, oh, Hanukkah, come light the menorah, Hanukkah, oh, Hanukkah let’s all dance the hora!

The first line of a traditional Jewish song tells so much about the Festival of Lights and how it is celebrated.

Hanukkah started sundown Dec. 18, this year and runs for eight nights.

Jewish people all over the world are lighting menorahs, eating latkes (potato pancakes), sufganiyot (jelly donuts) and playing the centuries old game of dreidel.

Hanukkah in fact, is not a holy day or holiday in the Jewish faith. In fact, it is a festival; hence the name Festival of Lights.

Hanukkah tells the story of how in the second century BCE the Holy Land was ruled by the Syrian-Greeks, and they were trying to force the people of Israel to accept and follow Greek cultures and beliefs.

A small group of strong and faithful Jews, who were led by the famous Judah Maccabee, fought to drive out the Syrian-Greeks and be able to keep their Jewish ways.

After the battle was won by Judah and his army, the Jews had to start the process of rebuilding the holy temple.

When they tried to find oil to light the menorah (a seven branched candelabrum), all they could find was a small vial. There was only enough oil in the flask to last for one night.

Miraculously, the tiny amount of oil lasted for eight days, which was long enough for them to prepare new oil.

Families will gather to light the menorah and recite the blessings. Children will listen to adults retell stories of how they spent Hanukkahs in the past.

Platters of latkes will be passed, with the age old question of applesauce or sour cream for topping?

The dreidels will come out, and children will spin the four sided top to win coins, nuts or candy.

On the dreidel are the Hebrew letters; nun, gimmel, hei and shin, an acronym for “a great miracle happened there.” Depending on which letter the dreidel lands on determines what is won or lost.

“In America and throughout the world today, we are seeing a resurgence of modern-day followers of Antiochus – those who are trying to squelch Judaism and the Jewish people with threats, lies and conspiracy theories. Fortunately, we are not alone in standing up against hate. The Jewish community is deeply grateful for our many allies in churches, mosques, and other communities that are facing their own battles against discrimination and oppression. We stand together for a society free of hatred,” said Rabbi Jeffrey Goldwasser of Temple Sinai in Cranston.