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Posted By: Matt

Big J - you are correct - the Holiday celebrates two miracles - the military victory of a small army of Jewish priests over the Greek and Hellenist forces who had tried to subjugate them and the miracle of the small lone remaining amount of pure oil, that usually burnt out in 1 day, keeping the Menorah in the Temple burning for 8 days until new oil was available.

Years later, the Jews were exiled and the Temple was destroyed, which should have canceled the Holiday, but it lives on as a message of hope, that even when times are tough and the odds seem not in our favor, we can still overcome.