The Jewish festival of lights is called:

Hanukkah (also spelt Chanukah) is the Jewish festival of lights. It is celebrated for eight days and nights, beginning on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, which usually falls in late November or December.

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE. At that time, the land of Judea was ruled by the Seleucid Greek king Antiochus IV, who tried to force the Jews to give up their religion and follow Greek customs. He defiled the Temple by placing Greek idols in it. A small group of Jewish rebels, led by Judah Maccabee and his family (the Maccabees), revolted against the powerful Greek army and, against great odds, won back Jerusalem. When they cleaned and rededicated the Temple (the word "Hanukkah" means "dedication"), they wanted to light the Temple's menorah (lamp), but found only one small jar of pure oil, enough for just one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, until new oil could be prepared.

To remember this miracle, Jews light a special candelabrum called a "hanukkiah" (often called a menorah), which has nine branches: eight for the eight nights and one, called the "shamash" (helper), used to light the others. One more candle is lit each night, until all eight are lit on the last night. The menorah is placed in a window so that its light can be seen outside. Families say special blessings, sing songs, eat foods fried in oil, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jam-filled doughnuts), and play with a spinning top called a "dreidel". Children often receive gifts and coins (gelt).

India has small but old Jewish communities, such as the Cochin Jews of Kerala, the Bene Israel of Maharashtra and the Baghdadi Jews of Mumbai and Kolkata. The Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi, built in 1568, is one of the oldest active synagogues in the Commonwealth.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Passover (Pesach) recalls the Exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt.
• ✗Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish year.
• ✗Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year.