Happy Hanukkah! You know, I haven’t yet seem Menorah’s around campus (and I doubt I will), but Christmas carols are being played on the radio and Kline, our dining hall, is slowly becoming red and green.
In America, or anywhere in the world, really, excluding Israel and other non-Christian parts of the Middle East, Asia, Africa, etc, it is a bit awkward being Jewish. Everything here is Christmas, Christmas, Christmas. The songs, decorations, and even the Tweets. Now, I’m not complaining – I think that “Happy Holidays” spell of the past 5 years or so is a load of crap – I’m happy people are expressing themselves truly these days. If you say Merry Christmas to me, you’ll get Happy Hanukkah in return. As you can tell, I’ve become more Jewish over the past six months and I’ve recently watched “The Hebrew Hammer” a few times (go see it!). It was hard for me growing up in a society and going to a school where barely anyone celebrated the holiday’s I celebrated, or performed the weekly rituals I performed. That being said, I love being Jewish. Happy Hanukkah!
Gifts
Christmas and Hanukkah do have something in common, besides the time of year, and at least in the U.S., in Israel, I don’t think gifts are so common (there, the holiday is less about money and consumerism, and more about the story, which I will get to in a minute). I will probably get some clothes this year, maybe a piece of software and a new iPod Nano. If I get lucky, I’ll get another lens, but I doubt it.
The Story
Since Jews only occupy 2% of the world, I assume that many of you do not know the story of Hanukkah, so here it is. 2000 years ago, the Greeks ruled the land of Israel, or Judea, and controlled the Jews who lived there. Antiochus Epiphanes, a Greco-Syrian king, outlawed the Jews from worshipping and praying to our God, studying Torah, and practicing our own customs. He forced the Jews to worship Greek Gods, and allegedly erected a statue of Zeus in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem.
Judah Maccabee created a resistance force that fought against oppression known as the Maccabees. Judah’s rather small army was so determined, coming from their strong belief and faith in God, that they were able to defeat and intimidate larger and more powerful armies. Judah used the power of God to encourage his soldiers. The Maccabees, after almost three years of fighting, drove the Greco-Syrian armies out of Judea. The message here and the message of Hanukkah is “Not by might, not by power, but by spirit.”
After the Greco-Syrians vacated Judea, Judah Maccabee and his people reoccupied the HOly Temple. They cleaned it, renovated it, and rededicated it. When they first reentered the Temple, they found that the holy oil was de-purified by the Greco-Syrians. Only one jug of pure oil remained, only enough for one day. “Then a miracle occurred.” When the Maccabees lit the Menorah, it lasted not for one day, but for eight, which was enough time for them to purify more oil. This is why Hanukkah is observed for eight days, and why the Hanukkah menorah has not seven candles, but eight. So there you go, the story of Hanukkah. (Source).
I hope you have a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, or whatever holiday you observe (festivus, maybe?).
Kabren Levinson is fist-year student at Bard College. Throughout high school, Kabren has worked in various technological, political, and artistic positions. He has worked as an intern at the MIT Media Lab Computing Culture Group and during his senior year of high school, he developed an Academic Technology program at the Cambridge School of Weston. He has been podcasting for over three years and has been blogging for two. Kabren is a philosopher, technologist, and artist.
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