Final Day Of Hanukkah

"We all know the power of darkness. A thousand times over is the power of light."

• Carol Kuruvilla Religion Associate Editor, The Huffington Post

12/14/2015 09:19 pm ET | Updated 20 hours ago

Light is a powerful symbol in many of the world's religions. Hindus remember the victory of light over darkness during Diwali, and pagans mark the beginning of the return of the sun during the Winter Solstice.

Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights. The eight-day celebration began this year on Dec. 6. On the last day of Hanukkah, HuffPost Religion teamed up with Chabad-Lubavitch to reflect on the enduring power of light within the Jewish tradition. Chabad-Lubavitch is a Hasidic movement within Judaism, with more than 4,000 centers located in more than 80 countries.

Rabbi Chaim Schneur Nisenbaum, who helps lead a Chabad community in Paris, said this year's Hanukkah had a particularly relevant message, since the holiday began so soon after the Paris terror attacks.

Speaking at an annual Menorah lighting near France's Eiffel Tower on the first night of Hanukkah, Nisenbaum said the attackers "intended to put an end to the freedom of mind and opinion."

"In the historical times of Chanukah, the invaders of the land of Israel, the Greeks, had the same intention. But the Jews did not submit. They knew that light is stronger than obscurity, and that nobody can douse it," Nisenbaum said.