Here%20are%20some%20fun%20facts%20about%20the%20Jewish%20festival%20of%20lights%3A

1.%20Do%20you%20know%20the%20literal%20meaning%20of%20the%20word%20%u2018Hanukkah%u2019%3F

The%20word%20%u2018Hanukkah%u2019%20translates%20to%20dedication%20in%20Hebrew.%20The%20festival%20is%20celebrated%20to%20commemorate%20the%20victory%20of%20the%20Maccabees%20against%20the%20Seleucid%20Empire%20as%20they%20recaptured%20the%20city%20of%20Jerusalem%20followed%20by%20the%20rededication%20of%20the%20Second%20Temple.

%26nbsp%3B

2.%20Did%20Jews%20always%20believe%20in%20exchanging%20gifts%3F

The%20Jewish%20tradition%20did%20not%20include%20exchanging%20gifts%20on%20the%20festival.%20People%20used%20to%20exchange%20money%20instead.%20But%2C%20as%20Christmas%20gained%20popularity%2C%20The%20Jewish%20traditions%20caught%20on%20and%20Jewish%20people%20began%20giving%20gifts%20instead.

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3.%20Are%20fried%20dishes%20on%20Hanukkah%20a%20coincidence%3F

Latkes%2C%20sufganiyot%20%28jelly%20doughnuts%29%2C%20apple%20fritters%2C%20kugel%20%u2013%20some%20of%20the%20dishes%20that%20contribute%20to%20the%20beauty%20of%20the%20dinner%20table%20%u2013%20are%20fried%20and%20for%20a%20reason.%20This%20is%20no%20coincidence.%20The%20Jewish%20people%20fry%20their%20food%20in%20oil%20as%20a%20symbol%20for%20the%20miracle%20oil%20that%20burned%20straight%20for%20eight%20nights.

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4.%20Any%20special%20traditions%20on%20Hanukkah%3F%26nbsp%3B

Games%20are%20a%20part%20of%20this%20Jewish%20festival%2C%20especially%20spin%20the%20dreidel.%20Dreidels%20are%20four-sided%20spinning%20tops%2C%20each%20side%20printed%20with%20a%20Hebrew%20letter%20spells%20the%20phrase%20%u2018A%20Great%20Miracle%20Happened%20There%u2019.%20Each%20player%20spins%20the%20dreidel%2C%20depending%20on%20the%20letter%20it%20falls%20on%2C%20they%20either%20win%20or%20lose%20money.

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5.%20What%u2019s%20for%20dessert%3F

The%20Jewish%20love%20their%20dessert%2C%20to%20the%20extent%20that%20almost%2017.5%20million%20jelly%20doughnuts%20are%20consumed%20in%20Israel%20throughout%20%26nbsp%3BHanukkah.

%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Hanukkah%22%20data-user-id%3D%22p5SS3wzQWrm7%22%20href%3D%22/topic/hanukkah%22%3E%23Hanukkah%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Festival%22%20data-user-id%3D%228w6vorHO67sa%22%20href%3D%22/topic/festival%22%3E%23Festival%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Celebration%22%20data-user-id%3D%22sSwjBtll1v8m%22%20href%3D%22/topic/celebration%22%3E%23Celebration%3C/a%3E%26nbsp%3B