Why do symbols represent Hanukkah?

Answer 1

It doesn't. The star of David is the symbol of Judaism, while Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday.

In the history behind the holiday, the Holy Temple was overrun by the Syrian-Greeks (2nd century BCE). After the Hasmoneans (a religious Jewish group) ousted the Syrian-Greeks, there was only enough oil to light the menorah of the Temple (Exodus ch.25) for one day, but a miracle occurred and it lasted for 8 days. This miracle is symbolized by the eight candles of the hannukah menorah. An extra (9th) candle is used to light the other eight.

As for why the star of David became a symbol of Judaism, that's an entirely different question and one subject to much debate.

The star itself dates back to early Arabic and African tribes which used it as a symbol of luck and prosperity. Some claim it was the symbol on King David's shield but there does not appear to be historical proof to back this claim.

In the middle ages there was a time when Jews were forced to wear physical marks and various forms of stars and shapes became common depending on the region they were living. By the late 1800's the star of David had grown to be the most common symbol to represent Judaism, but the modern usage of the star itself dates back less than 500 years in historical records as a common Jewish symbol.

The two most recognized events to cement the star in recent Jewish history were the founding of the Zionist movement in 1897 (which used the symbol publicly to mark their places of assembly) and the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 (which put the star on their flag).

Answer 2

You might as well ask why human beings use symbolism at all. The answer is because it turns a concept, any concept, into something more easily visualized, remembered and related to. We use symbols to represent Hanukkah before the holiday begins, so that children can get a better grasp of what is being referred to. Once Hanukkah has begun each year, the use of symbols becomes less important since people see the menorahs themselves and don't need representations of them.