BOUNTIFUL — This time of year, the focus In Davis County is often on Christmas trees with sparkling lights, but in almost every culture there is a celebration of lights planned near the winter solstice to remind people that winter is only temporary and that summer will return. For the Jewish people, that festival is Hanukkah, which begins this year on the evening of Dec. 8 and continues through Dec. 16. Hanukkah is not a major holiday for Jews, but it is probably the best known among those who are not Jewish because of its proximity to Christmas.It shares lights and gifts with Christmas. Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, which, because the Jewish calendar is different than the Gregorian, means the date of Hanukkah varies. Known as the Festival of Lights, Feast of Dedication or Feast of the Maccabees, Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem by Judas Maccabee. In 168 B.C.E., the Jewish Temple was seized by Syrian-Greek soldiers and dedicated to the worship of the god Zeus in an effort to assimalate their lands into the Hellenistic culture, according to godwithus.org. The ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes, forbade Jews to keep their Sabbath, own copies of their sacred writings or practice circumcision. When an aged priest named Mattathias was ordered to participate in a sacrifice to Zeus at the village of Modin, he revolted. With five sons at his side and backed by followers, he took a stand. His son Judas defeated four Syrian armies and forced a fifth to retreat. He was able to recapture Jerusalem, except for a garrisoned castle. The temple was then purged of abominations and Jewish worship restored. The temple was rededicated to God, with festivities lasting eight days. According to tradition, only one vessel of pure olive oil, sealed by the high priest and necessary for the rededication ritual, could be found, but it burned miraculously for eight days. Today, a major feature of the celebration is the lighting of candles in a candelabra called a menorah. Small gifts are often exchanged each evening as the menorah is lighted. mwilliams@davisclipper.com