December holidays By: Zina Alfayyumi Keren Drimer

About 2200 years ago, there was a bad person who was called Antiochus. He led his people, the Hellenists (ancient Greeks), to concur and control Israel and the Jews. Antiochus didn’t want the Jews to do anything that is connected to their religion. The Hellenists controlled the country for many years.

During that time a group of Jews, called the hasmonean, Led by Mattathias the Hasmonean, and his son Judah the Maccabee decided to go against the Greek ruler, Antiochus, and against his people. Those people, the Hasmonean, became known as the Maccabees.

When the maccabbees overcame Antiochus and his people( not before they ruined everything that was important for the Jews and especially all the holly things in the Jews holly temple), they wanted to light the temple so that all the Jews would know that the temple is theirs’ again.

The Maccabbees could only find one little can of oil to light the menorah. They thought that the oil wouldn’t last for more than one day, but in the end the oil lasted for 8 days and nights. That is why hanukkah is the “festival of Lights”.

That is the reason we celebrate Hanukkah. We commemorate the triumph of the minority over the majority, the light over the darkness and the spirit over the materialism.

If you want to know more about Hanukkah, click on one of the pictures

What is sacrifice holiday? At Eid al-Adha, Muslims make a special effort to pray and listen to a sermon at a mosque. They also wear new clothes, visit family members and friends and may symbolically sacrifice an animal in an act known as qurbani. Eid ul-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja of the lunar Islamic calendar. Eid ul-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims.

Muslims purchase an animal known as udhiya, usually a goat or sheep, to sacrifice. The people divide it amongst themselves and others. People also give money to enable poorer members of their local community and around the world to eat a meat-based meal.

Sacrifice Holiday the story of this feast: The Prophet Ibrahim saw a dream that he was killing his son as sacrifice to God and he understood that this was as an order from God he should obey.So he woke up and told his wife (Hagar) and his son Ismail.God wanted to test their faith and obedience by putting them in that hard test.

So they decided to obey the order of God. When prophet Ibrahim was putting the knife on the neck of his young son,a great Angel came from Heaven down to Earth holding between his arms a huge sheep. Then he told prophet Ibrahmin about the test that he and his family succeeded in and to sacrifice the sheep instead of his son Isami.

The pray of Eid Aladha You can see more pictures about Hajj and the Eid by clicking on the picture

How Muslims contribute the sacrifice? Each Muslim family is encouraged to sacrifice an animal and split it in three : one- third for the needy, one-third for friends and family and one-third for themselves.

Who was the prophet that wanted to sacrifice his son? 1) The prophet Ismael 2) The prophet Mohammad 3) The prophet Ibrahim Next Question

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How many days the oil lasted in the menorah? 1) Ten days 2) Eight days 3) Five days Next Question

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The Muslims contribute the sacrifice into: 1) One part 2) Three parts 3) Four parts THE END

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Thank You! I hope you enjoyed it.