The Story of Hanukkah Lives On

Hanukkah (spelled in different ways and referred to by different names) commemorates the victory of the Maccabees, a small group of Jewish fighters, against the armies of the Syrian-Greek Empire, more than 2000 years ago.

At the time, the Land of Israel was part of the Syrian-Greek Empire and ruled by Antiochus IV – known as a rash and impetuous tyrant who attempted to unify his kingdom by creating a common Hellenistic religion and culture, thereby rooting out individualism and suppressing the Jews.

Following several battles the Maccabees eventually won and liberated Jerusalem and the Holy Temple. They cleared the Temple of idols, rebuilt the altar, and built a new Menorah (sacred candelabrum) to replace the golden one stolen by the ancient Syrians. When they wanted to light it, they found only a small amount of pure olive oil, which should have lasted for just one day. Yet by miracle, this small amount lasted for eight days of light.

Hanukkah is a story of faith in oneself, and in something greater. It's a story of victory of few against many, of the weak against the strong, a rebellion against oppression, a fight for freedom and one's beliefs. The Maccabees were confident of their ways, and driven to achieve their goals. Their strength was drawn not from sophisticated weaponry or a greater number of soldiers, but by a powerful value system and strong morale.

The remarkable advancements of modern Israel are seen by many as a miracle, similar to that experienced by the Maccabees. But it's more than that – the unparalleled success of the country's hi-tech industry, with the second greatest number of Start-ups in the world after the United States, representing technologies that save and improve the lives of millions of people across the globe, is based not only on miracles, but on the unique characteristics of the Israeli people, on their collective (primarily) Jewish history and teachings, and on the country's geopolitical circumstances.

Israelis are innovative and entrepreneurial. They are goal-oriented and have demonstrated a unique ability to achieve a lot, with very little. They're in a constant path of improvement, of growth, of bettering their lives and the lives of others. Israeli technologies and inventions have brought greater health to millions, have improved people's ability to communicate with each other, have reduced sickness and death in poverty-stricken nations, and have generated prosperity for so many.

When Israeli families gather to light candles, eat traditional Hanukkah food and sing holiday prayers they will be commemorating the story of their ancestors. But they will also be celebrating their strength – their ability to grow and prosper and defeat every challenge that comes their way.

Ilan

Ilan Friedman
ilan@ncompas.net