Over the course of the last week, I’ve mentioned the Hanukkah story a couple times. I’ve been struck in different ways by the different elements and traditions.
Apart from the elements and tradition there are the people. I’ve included an excerpt from Parents.com which briefly explains the Hanukkah story.
“Over two thousand years ago, Antiochus, a cruel ruler of the Greek Kingdom, imposed pagan beliefs on the Jewish people. "You'll worship Zeus," he proclaimed, and set up statues to Greek idols and slaughtered pigs at the altar, dirtying the temple.
The Maccabees, a group of devastated Semitic people, were so unhappy that they refused to assimilate into the Greek culture as others had done. When an old priest, Mattityahu, and his son Yehuda (Judah) bravely rose up, they risked their lives and battled the Greeks. The small band of dedicated followers eventually defeated the Greek general and his army, winning the war and protection for the Torah, a book of Jewish teachings, writings, and laws.”
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