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Long ago, in the land of Israel, a brave group of Jewish people called the Maccabees lived peacefully. But one day, a powerful king named Antiochus came to their land. He wanted everyone to worship his gods and follow his rules. The Jewish people loved their own ways and worshiped the one God, so they didn’t want to follow the king’s new rules.
When Antiochus saw they wouldn’t listen, he made things even harder. He sent his soldiers to take over the holy Temple in Jerusalem and put statues inside that were against Jewish beliefs. The Maccabees knew they had to do something. Led by a brave man named Judah Maccabee, they gathered a small group of fighters to stand up for their beliefs. Even though they didn’t have as many men and were not as strong as the king’s army, the Maccabees fought hard and finally won.
When the Maccabees returned to the Temple, it was a mess. They cleaned it up and wanted to light the special menorah, a lamp that burned day and night. But they could only find one small jar of oil — enough to last just one day! They lit the menorah anyway, hoping for the best. And then, a miracle happened: the oil kept burning, not for one day, but for eight whole days, until new oil could be made.
This miracle showed the Maccabees and all the Jewish people that God was with them. Today, Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah to remember this miracle and the bravery of the Maccabees. They light the menorah for eight nights, adding one candle each night, and say blessings. Families play games, eat yummy foods like latkes and sufganiyot, and remember the courage and faith that helped keep our traditions alive.
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