Recently, I was asked to teach about Chanukah with a church group in Dallas. I entered the conversation thinking it was really quite straight forward, that most Christians at least in America surrounded by a Judeo-Christian culture, know at least the basics about the holiday.
I began by relating a story about when I did a teaching two years ago with a group of pastors in Africa, who have no interaction with Jews or Jewish culture. One pastor stated excitingly that it seemed like such a great holiday, we should celebrate it more often. I always found that one of the most charming jumping off point for discussion, even with Christians in America who know much more, but typically don’t know as much as one would think.
Chanukah is the celebration of the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by Greek enemies of Israel. Rather than destroying the Temple, again, they desecrated it, which left it unfit for ritual use.
The answer to my African pastor friend as to why we don’t celebrate Chanukah more often is because Chanukah is always celebrated on the 25th of the Biblical month of Kislev, the day that the Temple was rededicated, some 2200 years ago.
The restoration of the Temple was made possible by a military victory under the leadership of Judah Maccabi. The name Maccabi has become synonymous with strength and overcoming enemies. It has also been adapted for use in popular culture, among other things the name of a popular musical group and a line of frozen kosher foods in America, as well as the name of one of Israel’s largest health funds.
Most Christians know that Chanukah is an eight-day holiday commemorating the miracle that during the rededication of the Temple enough pure oil was found to light the menorah for one day, but which miraculously lasted for eight days. For eight days we light candles, increasing one candle each night. We eat traditional foods that are fried in oil commemorating the miracle of the oil. Not so healthy but decadent and tasty.
Chanukah is also a musical holiday during which it is customary to sing Psalms 113 to 118, called Hallel, thanking God for the miracles He has performed. There are also many songs celebrating the miraculous victory over Israel‘s enemies (Please be in touch for a list of popular recipes, songs, and more.)
But even if you were a biblically literate Christian with a deep knowledge of Judaism, how would you know all this about Chanukah since it is not featured prominently in the Bible. For answers to this and other questions delving into the how and why of what we do, I hosted Rabbi Avi Baumol on my Inspiration from Zion podcast.
During my teaching in Dallas, I received questions relating to who lights the candles, why, and the meaning of that. There were questions relating to the giving of presents as well, with a popular misconception that every family gives every member a present every night. I explained that each family has its tradition.
Also, because Chanukah is not one of the Biblical pilgrimage festivals during which all forms of labor are prohibited as instructed in the Bible, it offers an opportunity for families to have larger social gatherings, employ different traditions. Especially in Israel where it is a public holiday and schools are closed, it’s common for people to travel throughout the country, or even overseas during our popular winter vacation.
I also related how in Israel, weeks and sometimes months before Chanukah, the whole culture begins to focus on the holiday. This includes Chanukah displays in stores, the increasing number of Chanukah delicacies being offered for sale, and more. And it’s as mundane as hearing Chanukah songs as background music in malls and other public places, replete with seasonal sales that also employ the holiday themes.
As much as this was new information for many of the participants, I especially liked engaging them about the place in the New Testament where Chanukah is mentioned. It’s so subtle that if you don’t know what the first century Jewish culture is about, you wouldn’t necessarily know that John 10:22 is talking about Jesus celebrating Chanukah in Jerusalem. But if you don’t know what “the Festival of the dedication” is, you would have no idea that Jesus was in Jerusalem to celebrate the holiday.
As an Orthodox Jew with less familiarity with the New Testament, this raised many interesting questions which we discussed, but many of which were still unanswered.
Since Chanukah is not a pilgrimage holiday like Passover, Shavuot (Pentecost), Sukkot (Tabernacles) when Jews were expected to worship and bring offerings to the Temple, I asked why Jesus was in Jerusalem anyway.
I wanted to understand why this one reference in all of the New Testament was there to begin with. Was it the only time that Jesus came to Jerusalem for the holiday and if so why and what was going on? Or is there something that was unique about this one particular visit, and it’s assumed that Jesus spent many winters celebrating Chanukah in Jerusalem. Unlike today when one can drive between Nazareth and Jerusalem in under three hours, making a pilgrimage by foot or donkey would take days, and days of planning. Forget the time off work.
While the conversation was going on, one person googled and shared some information which affirmed that it was customary for first century Jews to go to the Temple. After all, the military conquest and rededication of the Temple was relatively modern history to them.
This did not answer my questions, but did affirm something that should not be forgotten, that Jesus was a first century Jew, his life and culture were Jewish, and he worshiped in the Temple according to Jewish tradition. In a world where replacement theology remains widespread, and some try to erase the centrality of Jerusalem to Jews (and therefore Christians), it’s important that we remember this, and that Christians understand that everything Jesus did was essentially Jewish.
Yes, it is important for Christians to recognize the Jewishness of both the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and the New Testament as well as the events written in them. We are the foundation of their faith even if they believe that they are the new and improved version.
It is also important, in my opinion, for Jews to learn more about Christianity. I work with interfaith relations between Jews and Christians and have a lot of respect for their beliefs. Their values for life come almost exclusively from Judaism. An example would be what is referred to as the Ten Commandments, but there are others as well.
Judaism and Christianity share much more in common than almost any other two religions in the world. Yes, they are different, but also very similar. We are sister religions who should engage in more understanding and respect for each other instead of hostile skepticism. And yes, I know the history of Christian antisemitism, but that is collective guilt (which I don’t believe in).
”understanding and respect for each other instead of hostile skepticism. And yes, I know the history of Christian antisemitism, but that is collective guilt (which I don’t believe in)”
You had to go there.
Its not necessarily history either. It still goes on and on. .And a major problem with inter faith is the proselytizing.. It is unacceptable at all times and in all forms and deeply offensive evoking that “history” that you don’t believe is relevant but that I do believe is very relevant. Some Christian sects cannot stop doing it. This robotic but disrespectful tick makes enemies of your “sisters.’
I would not call Christianity and Judaism sister religious, but rather daughter (Christianity) and mother (Judaism). Let’s not forget the proper relationship.
The number of Jews who believe Jesus is the Messiah is quite considerable and not promoted much at all. Why? The Jewishness of Jesus is obvious by only a cursory view of the scriptures. .The prophecies that point to him (many of which are obvious, Isaiah 53 comes to mind) are extensive. “Christians” who are anti-Semitic causes one to question the genuineness of their Christian experience. While I recognize that is often due to indoctrination and false teaching it’s still inexcusable for one truly wanting to walk in the love of Christ. When he puts his foot on the Mt. of Olives all that foolishness will be resolved.
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee”………..that goes for Christians and Jews
“The number of Jews who believe Jesus is the Messiah is quite considerable and not promoted much at all. Why?”
Respectfully, the answer to your question is simple. Jews who believe that Jesus is the Messiah are not Jews, they are Christians. So why discuss them, be they few or many?
Many of my ancestors faced terrible persecution and possible death due to their clinging to their faith and not accepting Jesus as their messiah. Why would they have done that? And why do you claim that the number of apostates today is “considerable”? I rather doubt that it is, since even under duress Jews would not convert. Why should they do so in a time of religious freedom?
“In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man.” – Pamela Geller
The Maccabees were the Taliban of their time. They were not fighting for freedom and liberty, they were not fighting for human dignity, they were fighting for to re-establish religious tyranny, just like the Taliban today.
“To understand this complex conflict, bear in mind that the king, Antiochus Epiphanes, although undoubtedly a tyrant, was significantly less tyrannical than were his zealous foes. One is reminded of the 20th-century struggle between the Shah of Iran—a foreign-backed brutal secular dictator—and the indigenous, fanatical supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini, a dictator vastly more brutal and totalitarian. Perhaps more to the point, the Maccabees were the Taliban of their day—slaughtering their more secular coreligionists as apostates and tolerating nothing but a strict adherence to fundamentalist religion.” – Andrew Bernstein, “The Birth of Monotheistic Religion – Aristotle Versus Religion”
People who are making Hanukkah more what it is. Are not doing any favor to Judaism or Jewish nation. In fact for two thousand years of exile. Jews in the east -Muslim lands- celebrated Hanukkah as a minor religious holiday. And much more as Jewish victory against their occupiers. In contrast Jews in the west -Christian lands- turned Hanukkah into something which it never was. A competitor to Christmas. Turned it from a minor holiday that is basically a military victory commemoration to full-fledged religious holiday. In fact Hanukkah is soo minor that Jews are not require to rest and cease work -as in Shabat or other holidays-.
Jews in the Christian West did not turn Chanukah into a competitor of Christmas. In fact Chanukah is a holiday of so little importance that many Western Jews had no idea it even existed. My own parents, the first-generation American descendants of pious Ukrainian Jews, learned about it when my siblings and I studied it in religious school and came home to tell them about it. That’s when my mother began to light a menorah, in a dark corner of the kitchen where nobody outside might see it and be offended. Ours was also the only house without Christmas decorations and a tree and we were the only Jews in our neighborhood or school.
Now Chabad, a Chassidic sect from Belarus, lights giant menorahs in large, festive public gatherings, welcoming everyone with music and holiday food and, for anyone interested, literature and lectures. They probably started doing this in order to wean Jewish children away from a desire for Christmas, but it has become an annual event in its own right and people plan for it and look forward to it every year.