While Christmas is still over two weeks away, the Jewish Celebration of Hanukkah is in its fourth day. Mark Finkelstein of the Jewish Federation of greater Des Moines says the celebration commemorates the Jewish military victory over the Greek Empire. He says the empire wanted to rob Jews of their culture and religious significance.Finkelstein says the group of Jews was able to win out through a miracle in which the oil supply in the Temple of Jerusalem lasted eight days. The Hanukkah celebration is thus eight days.The tradition includes the lighting of a candle each night.Finkelstein says there are an estimated six-thousand Jews living in Iowa.
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