HANUKAH -(Feast of the lights)
The Greek army conquered Israel (in those days named Judea) during the second century A.C.
At Jerusalem (the capital) there was the Great Temple the religious center of the Jews.
The Greeks introduced their religion and even forced Jews to celebrate it.
They profaned the Great Temple.
This situation was insupportable for the Jews.
A revolution started against them. The revolution was under the leading of the Maccabei family and the leader was
Jehuda (one of the sons).
The revolution started on 164 B.C. and Jews beat the Greek army liberating Judea.
The first act they did was to purify the Great Temple, throwing out all the idols.
The food and beverage were also profaned. Even the olive oil used to light candles.
The Cohen (priests of the temple), found only a single pure olive oil tin fits to light a one-day candle.
He lighted the candle, but God did a miracle and the oil rested light for eight days.
Those eight days were proclaimed as a holiday.
Hanukah name derives from the word Hanach = Inauguration (of the temple).
Last centuries the Hanukah holiday got also a strong national significance (liberation).
Hanukah is celebrated religiously, nationally. there are special foods, children games and family use even to give
"pocket money" to the children.
Infinite artistic chandeliers were created during the centuries in order to light eight candles for the eight holiday
days. As the candles are lighted with another candle the chandeliers have nine braces.
On early days there were oil chandeliers containing eight holes. The ninth hole was used in order to penetrate the oil.
Hanukah occurs during the month of December.
During those days you can see at evening allover small and big Hanukah chandeliers spreading their joyful light
(Feast of the lights).
Hanukah coins and the Krause error.
Many of the coins of Israel are minted on Hanukah and dedicated to.
The Jewish New-Year occurs during September or October.
Hanukah holiday is on December.
The meaning is that coins minted for the Hanukah are dated one year later than the regular coins.
Krause catalog mentions it.
If a regular coin has the date of 5760 (2000), a coin minted the same calendaric A.C. year but on Hanukah has the
date of 5761.
Now if you look at Krause catalog you will find a strange thing:
1-Agorah-km#171 (Han.. coin) you will see a difference of 3761 years between the Jewish calendar and the A.C. date.
But if you look at :
5-Agorot-km#172
10-Agorot-km#173
�-New-Sheqel-km#159
1-New-Sheqel-km#163
5-New-Sheqel-km#217 you will find a difference of only 3760 years (all of them were minter the same time).
I suppose Krause catalog has a mistake and for all these coins the difference may be of 3761 years.
It is important for people collecting coins by years.
Therefore I always ask to those people to give me the Jewish date they search to avoid misunderstanding.
KRAUSE NEWS :  last edition there was a correction of the error upwords detailed.
Back                                             Back to Homepage
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1