Hanukkah (חֲנֻכָּה‎) is a Jewish festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and subsequent rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE.  It is also known as the Festival of Lights.  Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev The festival is observed by lighting the candles of a candelabrum with nine branches, called a menorah (or hanukkiah). One branch is typically placed above or below the others and its candle is used to light the other eight candles. This unique candle is called the shamash (שַׁמָּשׁ‎). Each night, one additional candle is lit by the shamash until all eight candles are lit together on the final night of the festival.