Tonight marks the eve of the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev: the beginning of the festival of light, Hanukkah.
The eight-day festival “celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, of purity over adulteration, of spirituality over materiality,” according to Chabad.org.
Hanukkah commemorates the miracle of a small amount of pure ceremonial oil lasting eight days — until new oil could be prepared — for the rededication of the the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, reclaimed from the Greeks in 167 B.C.E. by a small band of faithful Jews.
On the first day of Hanukkah, one candle is lit; on the second day, two candles are lit, and so forth until all eight candles on the menorah are lit on the eighth night.
Since the Jewish calendar is lunar-based, the 25th day of Kislev falls on different days, usually some time between late November and late December.
Temple Israel of Riverhead will celebrate the holiday with a ceremonial menorah lighting on the Peconic Riverfront today at 5 p.m.
The North Fork Reform Synagogue and the Cutchogue Historical Society will light a community menorah on the green in Cutchogue today at 4 p.m. The synagogue invites all to a Hannukah celebration following the lighting.
The Village of Greenport hosts its annual Menorah lighting ceremony tonight at 6 p.m.in Mitchell Park.
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