City Councilor at Menorah Lighting: “Jesus is the Reason for the Season”

Springfield, Mass., City Councilor Bud Williams offers his take on annual city menorah lighting ceremony

"Jesus is the reason for the season," said Springfield, Massachusetts, City Councilor Bud Williams during Tuesday's annual city menorah lighting ceremony, according to MassLive.

The birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated every Dec. 25 on Christmas by Christians, but not by those of Jewish faith.

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday celebrating the victory of a small army of Jews known as the "Maccabees" over the Greeks that occupied the Holy Land. 

It is said that when the Macabees freed the Temple from the hands of Greek invaders, they found only a small amount of oil to light their candelabra, which was an important component of daily services. The oil was sufficient to light the menorah for just one day, but it is believed to have miraculously lasted for eight days and nights. 

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