The Story of Chanukah The festival of Chanukah celebrates the Jewish peoples' struggle for religious freedom. The festival has been observed, in Israel and the Diaspora, sometimes even at the risk of life.The story behind the holiday, of how the menorah in the Holy Temple miraculously stayed lit for eight days, with very little oil, is recounted each year as we light the Chanukah candles. The story of Chanukah actually begins in the year 336 B.C.E. when Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire which included Judea (modern day Israel). The Jews' relationship with Alexander was long and fruitful. Alexander promised the Jews that his empire would not inte