Days left to donate!
Ends Midnight
Dec 31
>
Act now - your year-end gift fuels next year’s impact
Donate Now
Donate
Donate Now
Become a Member
Planned Giving
More Ways to Give
Programs
Community Engagement
Daf Yomi
Impact Accelerator
Israel Free Spirit
Jewish Action Magazine
JLIC/College Campus
Kosher
NCSY Alumni
NCSY/Teens
Yachad
OU Advocacy
OU Israel
OU Press
OU Research
OU Torah
Synagogue Initiatives
Teach Coalition
Women’s Initiative
The SPIRIT Initiative
Kosher
Torah
Holidays
Events
About
EVP Rabbi Moshe Hauer
EVP/COO Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph
See the latest Impact Report
Jewish Calendar
Careers
Community Finder
Synagogue Finder
Contact
Donate
Donate Now
Become a Member
Planned Giving
More Ways to Give
Support Us
Donate Now
Become a Member
Planned Giving
More Ways to Give
Choose a Holiday
High Holidays
Rosh Hashanah
Tzom Gedaliah
Yom Kippur
Sukkot
Sukkot
Hosha'anah Rabah
Shemini Atzeret
Simchat Torah
Chanukah
Purim
Purim
Shushan Purim
Fast of Esther
Passover
Sefirat HaOmer
Lag BaOmer
Shavuot
Fast Days
Tisha B'Av
Asarah B'Tevet
Shiva Asar B'Tammuz
Other
The Three Weeks
Tu B'Av
Tu B'Shevat
Yom HaAtzmaut
Yom HaShoah
Months
Yom Hazikaron
Yom Yerushalayim
Shabbat
High Holidays
Rosh Hashanah
Tzom Gedaliah
Yom Kippur
Sukkot
Sukkot
Hosha'anah Rabah
Shemini Atzeret
Simchat Torah
Chanukah
Purim
Purim
Shushan Purim
Fast of Esther
Passover
Sefirat HaOmer
Lag BaOmer
Shavuot
Fast Days
Tisha B'Av
Asarah B'Tevet
Shiva Asar B'Tammuz
Other
The Three Weeks
Tu B'Av
Tu B'Shevat
Yom HaAtzmaut
Yom HaShoah
Months
Yom Hazikaron
Yom Yerushalayim
Shabbat
The Secret History of Chanukah – Part 2: The Book of the Maccabees
BY
Dr. Henry Abramson
11 Dec 2020
Chanukah
Keep Up with the OU
Sign up to get the best of the OU sent to your inbox each week
Related Articles
Chanukah
The Mitzvot and Minhagim of Chanukah
By
OU Staff
December 02, 2025
Chanukah
From Noach to Chanukah
By
Rabbi Sam Shor
November 26, 2025
Chanukah
The Menorah of Chanukah, the Flames of History and the Light of Destiny
By
Rabbi Yaakov Glasser
January 08, 2025
Chanukah
The Historical Background of Chanukah
By
Rabbi Dr. Yitzchak Breitowitz
January 01, 2025
