The Irony of Chanukah

We are all familiar to a certain extent with the story of Chanukah. The Greeks conquered the land of Israel and imposed their culture and customs on the Jewish community living there. They polluted the Holy Temple with impure sacrifices and foreign idols, and they humiliated the Jews who counted on the Holy Temple to serve as their conduit to the Divine. In the wake of such terror, many Jews gave in to the Greek culture and assimilated into the Hellenistic way of life. These Jews, who took on Greek surnames and abandoned the Jewish culture, were known as Hellenists.

Ultimately it was the assimilation of these Jews that sparked a revolt against the Greeks by other Jews who were mortified by the behavior of their brothers and sisters who were abandoning
the words and spirit of the Torah. Led by the Maccabees, these Jews waged a fierce guerilla style war against the Greek invaders, and they were eventually successful in driving them out of the Land of Israel. Their success, coupled by the miracle of the little bit of oil that was able to light the Menorah in the Temple for eight days, resulted in the formation of the holiday of Chanukah. The rededication of the Temple and the military victory over the Greeks are obvious reasons for celebration. Yet, we must not overlook the Macabean victory over the Hellenist Jews who abandoned Judaism in favor of the societal advances that the Greek way of life brought them. The victory of the Chanukah
revolt symbolizes the victory over Jewish assimilation as much as it does the destruction of the Greek invaders.

This year, as we prepare for one of the most exciting and fun times on the Jewish calendar, we should take heart to remember the true meaning of our holiday. Chanukah is not simply about presents – it is not a competition with Christmas. Rather, it is a time when we celebrate our ancestors’ commitment to their Jewish identities. Now don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with presents. But if we give our presents simply because that is what others in our society are doing at this time of year, then we are missing the point. This year, when we celebrate our joyous
holiday, we should remember that we are celebrating our love for our Jewish identity, and not our assimilation into other societies.

L’Shalom,
Jeremy Barras