Chanukah

There's an old joke relating that the essence of any Jewish holiday may be expressed in three terse clauses: "They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat." Admittedly, when it comes to Chanukah, the joke pretty much nails it. What's interesting is the particular way in which the joke fits.

"They tried to kill us." In the 2nd century BCE, Jewish Palestine was controlled by the Greek-speaking Seleucid dynasty. The Seleucids were not big on cultural diversity, and pushed the Jews to give up their distinctiveness. When push came to shove, they desecrated Jewish holy sites and demanded Jewish assimilation. Chanukah is, in part, a story about our continuing effort to retain our distinctive identity in the face of sameness, to opt for the falafel from Moshe's corner stand, rather than the Whopper or the Big Mac.

"We won." Against incredible odds (some say that the fight was rigged by God), a minority of devoted Jews won in battle against the Seleucids. And, by dint of a miracle--the light that should have lasted for only a day, but which lasted for eight--we restored the eternal light in our Temple. So, Chanukah is about hope, the faith that human effort can be rewarded by miracle.

"Let's eat." Chanukah foods are fatty. This is as a reminder of the oil that lasted so long in the Temple. As the saying goes, our bodies are temples...so why not get some oil in them? It has been scientifically proven that foods consumed during the week of Chanukah, even if eaten in quantities eight times more than normal, do not cause weight gain. Want proof? Take a study break and come to the annual Jewish Life Latkes and Libations celebration!

To learn more about Chanukah, click here.      If you need a menorah or holiday candles,  please drop by Jewish Life at Duke.