| Menorah, the eight-armed candle that is lit step by | | | | symbol of their freedom from oppression. They |
| step during the celebration of Hanukkah, has a | | | | light the lamp reverentially every year on the |
| very important place in Jewish culture and lives. | | | | occasion of Hanukkah. Traditional menorahs have |
| The festivities venerate a miracle that happened | | | | to be fed with virgin olive oil all through the eight |
| after the Jews overthrew an oppressive | | | | days in order to keep it burning. Even though |
| monarchy. On that day, people could not find | | | | very traditional families still follow the traditional |
| enough quantities of pure olive oil required to light | | | | way of lighting up the lamp, many of us are |
| up the Menorah, which is a symbol and early | | | | worried about the mess and spill they can create |
| religious item related to the Tabernacle of the | | | | if not lit in the right way. |
| biblical era. | | | | Modern avatars of the traditional lamp are |
| But the story goes that the little oil they could | | | | available in plenty these days. They are neither |
| find lasted for eight days. The miracle is | | | | too costly, nor messy. Plastic lamps with |
| remembered every year during the Hanukkah by | | | | candle-shaped bulbs, exquisitely designed lamps |
| lighting up the replicas of the menorah, at every | | | | made of precious or semi-precious metals etc are |
| home. Jews have carried forward the tradition | | | | available in the market now. They are good as |
| even with all the hardships they suffered all | | | | gift items too. But the tradition of honoring the |
| though the centuries. | | | | miracle is carried forward through them in a |
| The lamp has eight arms and a central stalk, | | | | convenient and easy manner. You can buy them |
| which holds the Shamash. No traditional Jew family | | | | from a good online store that sells them. |
| can afford not to have one since it stands as a | | | | |