Which Jewish festival commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple?

• A. Passover
• B. Yom Kippur
• C. Sukkot
• D. Hanukkah

Answer: (D)

Hanukkah focuses on the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean revolt. When the Temple was reclaimed, the rededication ceremony symbolized restoring worship there, and the miracle of the oil—burning for eight days instead of just one—became a central story of celebration. This is why Hanukkah is known as the Festival of Lights and is observed by lighting the menorah for eight nights. Other festivals mark different events—Passover recalls liberation from Egypt, Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, and Sukkot remembers the Israelites’ dwelling in booths during the desert—so Hanukkah best fits the idea of commemorating the temple’s rededication.