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Since 2015, the Southern Costa Blanca Jewish Community has publicly lit a Menorah during the Chanukah celebrations. This year was no exception and, on the last night of Chanukah (Jan 1st) almost 50 people attended the lighting.
The festival of Chanukah or as some people call it, the Festival of Lights, dates back to the year 167 BCE. The Temple in Jerusalem was looted and defiled by King Antiochus, who was ruler at that time. He was a Syrian who ruled Egypt and Judea, the land we know as Israel. The Jews were also banned from practising their religion.
In the year 165 BCE a man known as Yehuda Ha Makabi and his followers defeated Antiochus and went to the Temple in Jerusalem to give thanks to G-d. They found, when they wanted to light the lamp in the Temple, there was only enough olive oil to light it for one day. However that one days’ oil burnt for 8 days, giving them time to get fresh supplies of oil. This was proclaimed to be a miracle.
An 8-day festival was declared and we light one candle more each day over the 8 days until today when we light the full 8 days’ candles. We light the Menorah in public to let the world know of the miracle that happened to the Jewish people.
Following the lighting, everyone enjoyed wine, doughtnuts and potato latkes (traditional pancakes which have been fried in oil)
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