Hanukkah is a joyous Jewish festival.  Don't worry too much about the spelling, for there must be half a dozen ways to do that.  This 8-day festival of lights starts at sundown tonight ( always on Sunday ) and runs through December 6 this year.  The start date can vary from around Thanksgiving to after Christmas. Each night one more candle is lit on a candelebrum called a chanukiah, placed at a window to the left of the door, if possible.  But you ask,  why are there 9 lights/candles ?  Especially as there are 8 days of lighting and the seal of the State of Israel has 7, which is the standard menorah.   The middle one, the shamash ( means attendant, and is always higher or lower than the other candles ), is the helper candle that is used to light the others.  There is an order beginning with one the first night, plus the samash, lighted after sunset, except for that Friday ( because of the Sabbat, so the lighting should begin before sunset ) with one more each night.  Each candle m