Winter Holiday Celebrations: Object #4

FEAST OF LIGHTS
It Will Be Observed by Jewish Residents of Minneapolis.
Christmas Day this year will mark the beginning of the Jewish festival, Hanukkah, or the Feast of Lights. The feast is movable, but does not usually coincide with Christmas oftener than once in five years. Like Christmas, Hanukkah is celebrated by lighting candles. Many Jews also exchange presents on the festival. In some households “Christmas” trees are now provided for the children. Hanukkah is said to commemorate the victory of the Jews over the Syrian Greeks in the year 160 B. C. After the Jews had captured Jerusalem and reoccupied the temple, they once more lighted the temple lamps. Although a small amount only of the sacred oil could be procured for this purpose, the oil, according to tradition, was miraculously increased so that it burnt for eight days, until more could be prepared. Hence the feast of Hanukkah now continues eight days. One candle is lighted the first night, and one additional candle on each
of the following nights. Locally the feast will be observed by a children’s entertainment . to be given Thursday afternoon at the Temple ShaariTov, Tenth street S and Fifth avenue.