HOW TO TEACH ABOUT HANUKAH?

 Rabbi Rifat Sonsino , Ph.D

This year, the Jewish festival of Hanukah begins on Thursday night, Dec. 10, and lasts 8 days. It commemorates the military victory of the Jewish rebels (the  so-called Maccabees),  against the Syrian-Greeks, in 167 BCE. After a few fierce battles, the Jews, under the leadership of Judah the Maccabee, defeated the enemy and rededicated the Temple of Jerusalem to the worship one God, which had been desecrated by Antiochus IV, the king of the Syrian Greeks and his army. In fact, the Hebrew word “Hanukah” means dedication.

We do not really know why it lasts 8 days, and early sources do not tell us why. However, over the centuries, various explanations have been proposed, including the theory that it was a late Sukkot (Festival of Harvest) (See, II Mac. 10) or simply that when the rebels entered the temple they found eight iron spears. They stuck candles on them and lit them (Pesikta Rabbati). And, then there is the so-called “miracle” of Hanukah, proposed by the Talmudic Rabbis, centuries after the event: a miracle occurred and one candle lasted 8 days (Shab. 21b). We don’t know why the Rabbis came up with this explanation, but perhaps it was because they did not like the rebel Maccabees and wanted to attribute the great event to a divine power. Thus, for example, the 16th-century Maharal of Prague, Rabbi Judah Loew, suggested, “The main reason that the days of Hanukkah were instituted was to celebrate the victory over the Greeks. However, so that it would not seem that the victory was due only to might and heroism, rather than to Divine Providence, the miracle was denoted by the lighting of the Menorah, to show that it was all by a miracle, the war as well”.

I am very uncomfortable with this miraculous explanation, not only because, as a religious naturalist, I do not believe that miracles, as a divine intervention into the acts of nature, can or do happen  but also because it may be misleading to the younger generations who expect incredible events to save them through supposedly God’s deeds. What happens when you pray and the so-called “miracles” do not occur? Does that mean that people were not deserving or that God was being capricious? God, as the energy of the universe, does not change the course of nature. I think it is better to deal with Hanukah as a great military victory that altered the course of events and allowed the Israelites of the 2^nd cent. BCE to live in freedom, in their own land, keeping their traditions as they saw fit. 

 

POLITICAL FANATICISM

 

Rabbi Rifat Sonsino, Ph.D

I grew up in Turkey but I am an American citizen. Recently, I experienced political fanaticism among some Turkish Jews, living either in Turkey or elsewhere, and it is ugly.

A few days ago, I sent a blurb to a chat group, managed by a Turkish Jew in Istanbul, indicating my preference for Biden, and told my readers that in America, Israel is not our only priority. We are also dealing with blatant racism, with the terrible consequences of the Corona virus, with slowing of the economy, with a president who does not support science etc. and who should be replaced by Biden who cares for these issues as many of us. Boy, I opened the flood gates! A tsunami of accusations. I was told that I am a socialist, that I am almost a Nazi sympathizer, a terrible teacher, etc. by people who know nothing about me, all because I did not support Trump who, according to them, was a God-sent for Israel. 

I am a retired Rabbi who has spent my life dealing with Judaism and Israel, but I am also a realist. I strongly believe that Israel will never have peace until the Palestinian problem is resolved, and therefore I am very much in favor of open negotiations and, perhaps even accept certain compromises that are not preferable. Unfortunately, the Palestinians are not in the mood to negotiate, and they will be the losers in the end. But my so-called Turkish-Jewish friends are not in the mood to hear these realities either. They want to support Israel using the rhetoric of the right.

So, in anger, I sent a note to the editor of the chat group and told him that I will no longer contribute to his pages. However, I did not expect the response. Many Turkish Jews, disturbed by my decision, urged me to continue to write and express my opinions, because they enjoyed a good debate, and told me not give in to the crazy fanatics who accused me of all types of sins. I ,therefore, decided to rejoin the debate.  

What did I learn? 1. There are political fanatics everywhere, and it is difficult to debate with them in a civil matter, but we should not give in to them. One can disagree without being disagreeable.  2. I am very concerned about the future of Turkish Jews, my old community; they are living in a country with anti-Semitism all around them, from the top down. Though they speak Turkish and not that much Ladino, they are, still, at best, being tolerated as outsiders. No wonder, they attach themselves zealously to Israel.

Revivo Project-Music in Hebrew and Arabic

 One of my favorite Israeli musical group, Revivo Project, singing popular songs in Hebrew and Arabic. Enjoy!!