CHANUKKA

Chanukka is the festival of lights and the festival of winter

The holy temple in Jerusalem was destoryed by enemies twice. Once by the Babylonians and once by the Romans (under Caligula Caesar). The soldiers of the Israelites were called the Maccabees.

The only thing that was left intact was the ever-burning eternal light at the centre of the temple. The olive oil that was used for burning the light normally took eight days to refine, but there was only one little flask left untouched by the enemies. So the light could not possibly have lasted 8 days, but it did!---this is the miracle of Chanukka.

Every year, as a commemoration, Jews light one candle on the first day, two on the second and so on until the end of the eighth day. Those are called counting candles, which can't be touched. To light a candle, they use a user candle, an identical candle that is used solely to light the counting candles. So the counting candles and the user candle are all burned to the bottom at the end of each day.

Chanukka is celebrated with fatty food, songs and drinks.

How many candles in all? Figure it out.

YOM KIPPUR

Yom Kippur is the day of Atonement (usually in September)

It's a day when Jews wear white, pray in synagogues, then go through a 28-hour fast to open themselves to God's wrath and acknowledge their sins.