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<<Previous -- Table of Contents -- Next>> Hanukkah
5770 A Light Unto The Nations In memory of my beloved Malca'' Judas Maccabaeus: He was
like a lion in his The first Hanukkah was celebrated in Jerusalem, and it will be celebrated forever in Jerusalem! Jerusalem's identity is epochal, timeless. The fIrst Hanukkah was celebrated on the 25th day of Kislev, 164 BCE. A victory by the Maccabeean forces-ancestors of the present-day IDF-against the dark, brutal forces of the Syrian satrap, King Antiochus IV. Eternal Israel, as always, prevailed! Hanukkah, which literally means "dedication", tells the story of Jewish commitment, vitality and dynamism, of unflinching bravery, and adherence to high humanistic values. Torah law characterized the Jewish values, the Jewish people, and inspired the Jewish heroes and heroines of the magnificent Hanukkah story. As we, today, celebrate Hanukkah 5770, dark, heavy clouds of global antisemitism, racism and anti-Zionism, a grave threat to peace, looms over Israel. We, the Jewish people, are welcoming Hanukkah, 5770, as the holiday of joy and light against the dark forces of the new Haman(s). In the present,times, when the UN General Assembly hosts " leaders" such as Ghadaffi and Ahmadinejad, we Jews must remain steadfast in our fight for peace and justice. The parallels to the past are evident today, as once again we encounter hate and incitement against the Jewish people and the State of Israel. However, Eternal Israel, as always, will prevail! Jerusalem is eternal! Hag Hanukkah sameach! Hag ha' Urim sameach! Happy Festival of Lights! (Baruch Cohen is Research Chairman of the Canadian Institute for Jewish Research.) <<Previous -- Table of Contents -- Next>> |
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