The Lighting of the National Menorah

December 2, 2002

Source: The Washington Post

On December 2, 2002 The Washington Post reported that "the... lighting of the National Menorah... ceremony marked the 24th annual lighting of the National Menorah, which each year has been organized by Lubavitch, a Jewish outreach group that sponsors thousands of other public menorah lightings around the globe. The menorah is a symbol of events that happened more than 2,000 years ago after the Jewish Maccabean army defeated Syrian enemies for the right to practice their religion. According to Jewish tradition, when the Jews were re-consecrating their temple in Jerusalem after their victory, a one-day supply of purified oil miraculously burned for eight days. Thus, eight candles in the menorah. Several speakers during the late-afternoon ceremony made the historical leap from the Maccabean war to the present war."