Hanukkah

also spelled Chanukah about half as often and, less often, Hannukah, this eight-day festival dates to 165 B.C.E. and celebrates the victory of the Jews against unbelievable odds over King Antiochus of Syria who had forbidden them to practice their religion. Because of its calendar proximity to Christmas, Hanukkah is often referred to as if it were the most important Jewish holiday while the holidays that are in fact important—Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur—are often overlooked by the media and non-Jews. Other major Jewish holidays include Purim, Sukkoth, Shevuoth, and Passover.