Some important non-Christian religious holidays that are celebrated at the same time as Christmas are often forgotten. One of these celebrations is the Jewish holiday Hanukkah.

Dave Arkovich, former president of the Ames Jewish Congregation, said the word “Hanukkah,” which is sometimes referred to as the Festival of Lights, actually means rededication. The holiday is more similar to the Christian holiday Easter than it is to Christmas, he said.

“It’s really just a fluke that it falls near Christmas,” Arkovich said.

He said Hanukkah is a very old celebration that was first started in 165 B.C. when the Maccabees, a Jewish people, drove the invading Assyrians out of Jerusalem and reclaimed their temple.

Because the Assyrians had desecrated the temple, the Maccabees had to rededicate it, hence the word Hanukkah.

The celebration lasts for eight days because the last bottle of sacred oil used to light the Eternal Light of the synagogue lasted for eight days, much longer than anyone had expected, Arkovich said.

One Hanukkah tradition is the lighting of the menorah candelabrum every night during the eight days of Hanukkah.

Arkovich said there are many types of menorahs. He said the one used for Hanukkah is special because it holds one candle for each of the days. Every night, another candle is lit and blessings are said.

Arkovich said other Hanukkah traditions involve different types of foods and games that have special meaning during the holiday.

“It’s customary to have things cooked in oil, like sufgoniot, a jelly roll boiled in oil, a pastry common for Hanukkah. Potato pancakes fried in oil are also common,” he said.

A special game played during Hanukkah is called dreidel, a game of chance. Arkovich said it involves spinning a top that has four Hebrew letters on it.

He said dreidel is one of his favorite things to do during Hanukkah because the rules are loose and it moves quickly.

Arkovich said he feels it is important that people know this holiday is not as religious as others in the Jewish calendar.

Adam Oris, president of the Hillel youth group in Ames, agreed.

“I think it’s a common misconception that Hanukkah is religious. It’s been upscaled because of Christmas,” he said.

Arkovich said some of the more prominent Jewish holidays are Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Passover.

Although Hanukkah is not as serious as some of the other Jewish celebrations, he said it is greatly enjoyed by everyone, and the congregation will be having a dinner and party to celebrate together.

Oris said the Hillel group will be celebrating, too, with a display about Hanukkah at the tree lighting ceremony on tonight at Beardshear Hall. He said the booth will have Hanukkah cookies, ornaments and information about the holiday for students.