[sufganiyot] * Hanukkah means "dedication" in Hebrew, and the holiday commemorates the rededication of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE. * Hanukkah usually takes place in December, but the dates change every year since Jewish holidays follow a lunar calendar. * The National Menorah lit in Washington, DC, is 30 feet tall and requires a lift from a cherry picker to light. * Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrates the victory of a small group of Jewish rebels over an enormous Greek army to defend their heritage, and a miraculously long-lasting flame that continues to serve as a symbol of hope and perseverance. According to tradition, while the Jews were living under the Greek empire around 167 BCE, King Antiochus IV outlawed Judaism and desecrated the Holy Temple that stood in Jerusalem. A small Jewish army called the Maccabees led a rebellion against the Greeks and won. When they returned to the Temple to relight the ritual menorah (candelabra), they only found enough oil to last one day, but it miraculously lasted eight. Jewish people commemorate the Maccabees' victory and the miracle of the oil by lighting a menorah for eight nights and eating fried foods. Hanukkah is one of the most famous holidays in the Jewish calendar, but here are 10 facts about the Festival of Lights that you may not have known. HANUKKAH MEANS "DEDICATION" IN HEBREW. Rafiq Maqbool/AP The holiday commemorates the rededication of the ancient Jewish Temple in Jerusalem after a small Jewish army called the Maccabees reclaimed it from the Greek leader Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 164 BCE. HANUKKAH IS NOT A MAJOR RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY IN THE JEWISH CALENDAR. Ronen Zvulun/Reuters The Books of the Maccabees are not included in the Jewish biblical canon, and the Babylonian Talmud offers only a brief explanation of the holiday's origins, citing the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days. Other lesser-known biblical Jewish holidays, such as Sukkot and Shavuot, carry much more religious significance than Hanukkah. But because of its proximity to Christmas, Hanukkah became absorbed into the widespread culture of gift-giving and holiday cheer. HANUKKAH USUALLY TAKES PLACE IN DECEMBER, BUT THE DATES CHANGE EVERY YEAR. CTK, Michal Kamaryt/AP Hanukkah begins on the 25th of the Hebrew lunar month of Kislev every year, but the date in the Gregorian calendar varies. The lunar calendar is shorter than the solar one, so an extra month is added to the Jewish calendar every two to three years to keep the holidays within certain agricultural seasons and times of year. SEE THE REST OF THE STORY AT BUSINESS INSIDER SEE ALSO: * The 10 most caring cities in the US, ranked * From multiple assassination plots to a doomed wedding, here are 8 stories likely to be covered on season 4 of 'The Crown' * Kate Middleton wore a $2,000 floral Emilia Wickstead dress for Mary Berry's Christmas special. Here are 13 of her best floral looks, ranked by price.
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