Hanukkah 2014: 8 Quotes To Help Celebrate The Jewish Festival Of Lights

Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, will be celebrated for eight days beginning at sundown Tuesday, Dec. 16. It's a time for Jewish families to gather and celebrate miracles and to reflect on their ancestors' liberation. The holiday celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C., when Jews led by the Maccabees revolted against their Greek-Syrian oppressors. To celebrate their victory and the rededication of the temple, the Jews lit a menorah. The Maccabees had only a small drop of oil that miraculously lasted for eight nights, hence the length of Hanukkah, which is also sometimes spelled Chanukah.

Observant Jews will light a menorah each night during the eight-day celebration. In observance of the Festival of Lights, some Jews make latkes -- potato pancakes -- watch Hanukkah movies or TV specials, or even find some quotes to share.

Here are eight quotes about Hanukkah:

“Hanukkah is about the spark of the divine in all of us made in God's image.” -- Suzanne Fields

“As long as Hanukkah is studied and remembered, Jews will not surrender to the night. The proper response, as Hanukkah teaches, is not to curse the darkness but to light a candle.” -- Irving Greenberg

“The miracle, of course, was not that the oil for the sacred light –
in a little cruse – lasted as long as they say;
but that the courage of the Maccabees lasted to this day;
let that nourish my flickering spirit.” -- Charles Reznikoff

“The lights of the Hanukkah menorah that we kindle in our homes are a reminder both of the Menorah in the Temple in Jerusalem and the light that shines brightly within each one of us. For as it says in Proverbs 20:27 -- The candle of God is the soul of man.” -- Libi Astaire

“We light candles in testament that faith makes miracles possible.” -- Nachum Braverman

“Just as Hanukkah candles are lighted one by one from a single flame, so the tale of the miracle is passed from one man to another, from one house to another, and to the whole House of Israel throughout the generations.” -- Judah Leon Magnes

“Is not Hanukkah a symbol of Israel, and its light a symbol of his immortality?” -- Leo Jung

“Put on your yarmulke
Here comes Chanukah
So much funukah
To celebrate Chanukah
Chanukah is the festival of lights
Instead of one day of presents, we have eight crazy nights” -- Adam Sandler/"The Chanukah Song"