Washington, D.C., Date Un

Photograph by Sam Kittner A large menorah stands before the Washington Monument in honor of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. The nine-branched Hanukkah menorah commemorates the Miracle of the Oil, when, during the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem, one day's worth of consecrated candle oil lasted eight days. Hanukkah is an eight-day holiday which begins on the 25th day of Kislev, the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar. In 2006, Hanukkah will begin at sundown on December 15.(Photograph shot on assignment for National Geographic magazine)