The Jewish festival commemorating the Maccabean rededication of the Temple is called Hanukkah.
Hanukkah lasts eight nights and recalls the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire. The Hebrew name means “dedication,” reflecting the restoration of Jewish worship in the Temple.
The later rabbinic tradition recorded in the Talmud tells of a small quantity of pure oil that miraculously burned for eight days, although enough oil for only one day was available. This account explains the festival’s distinctive eight-night lamp lighting. The earlier historical account in 1 Maccabees emphasizes the military victory and Temple rededication.
Families often light a hanukkiah, recite blessings, sing songs, and eat foods fried in oil. Hanukkah is not one of the pilgrimage festivals listed in the Torah, and its observance differs in status and structure from Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot.