Hanukkah is just around the corner. Definitely my favorite of the Jewish holidays, it has interesting historical value and deals with issues relevant to our current-day culture (not only in Israeli). It celebrates the victory of the Israelites over the ancient Greeks in a series of battles taking place around the year 165 BC. This was not about territory nor resources, but dealt with freedom; the freedom to practice religion and follow the Jewish faith. Hanukkah lights represent the ancient Jewish tradition (soul) and the victory of spirituality over the material and physical (attributes related to ancient Greek culture).
Classical rabbis usually downplay the military and nationalistic dimensions of Hanukkah, yet some even interpret the story of the miracle oil as a creative diversion away from the struggle with empires that had led to the disastrous downfall of Jerusalem to the Romans. In Israel, Hanukkah was transformed into a celebration of military strength, a kind of antidote to what was perceived as the powerless Diaspora Jew that Israelis needed to psychologically overcome.
While Hanukkah traditionally speaking is only a minor Jewish holiday, it has taken a place equal to Passover as a symbol of Jewish identity. Both the Israeli and North American versions of Hanukkah emphasize resistance, focusing on some combination of national liberation and religious freedom as the defining meaning of the holiday.
Even though Israeli society is mostly secular, Hanukkah is celebrated in many homes spanning both secular and religious sectors of the population. A recent survey shows that the majority of Israelis (83%) light a candle every single day of Hanukkah. This is an amazing figure, considering the substantial religious-secular tear within the Israeli society. It is a country where the majority of secular citizens feel religion forced upon, embedded within the legal systems governing their surrounding space. Most secular citizens in Israel identify as Israelis first, and Jewish second.
Yet even secular Israelis take pride in their rich set of customs and traditions. These usually encompass large family gatherings and delicious mounds of food. Israelis usually feel nostalgic toward tradition when away from home, yet when living in Israel most feel the need to fight it – a continued fight for national identity. The same battle fought by their Maccabean ancestors. Only this time, it is that against the same camp. A fight where both sides, religious and secular, are constantly moving to further extremes, mostly out of fear and trepidation.
Personally, being Israeli signifies a set of cultural norms and community. It signifies going to the army, eating fresh watermelon on the beach and Friday night family dinners. But when when my Friday night driving gets in the way of my neighbor’s observance of the Sabbath is when things start getting tricky. There exists a thin line which holds all Jewish-Israeli sects together, and it is tradition.
Above: a photo from the Wailing Wall, tradition mixed with religion
However, tradition alone cannot hold a society together. It becomes strenuous holding all bits together. Many feel that if Israel did not have so many serious problems with its Arab neighbors, it would be in the midst of a lethal civil war, one aimed to redefine what it means to be part of an Israeli nationality.
And until then, I’ll enjoy the Latkes.
Happy Hanukkah!
Here’s the complete Hanukkah story:
Around 200 BC Jews lived as an autonomous people in the Land of Israel (Judea), controlled by the king of Syria. The Jewish people paid taxes to Syria and accepted its legal authority, and by and large were free to follow their own faith, maintain their own jobs, and engage in trade.
By 175 BC Antiochus ascended to the Seleucid throne. At first little changed, but under his reign, the Temple in Jerusalem was looted, Jews were massacred, and Judaism was effectively outlawed. In 167 BC Antiochus ordered an altar to Zeus erected in the Temple. As the conflict escalated, Antiochus prohibited any Jewish religious practices. His actions proved to be a major miscalculation as they provoked a large-scale revolt. Judah, a leader of the revolt, became known as Yehuda HaMakabi (”Judah the Hammer”). By 165 BC the Jewish Temple was liberated and rededicated.
After recovering Jerusalem and the Temple, Judah ordered the Temple to be cleansed, a new altar to be built in place of the polluted one and new holy vessels to be made. Olive oil was needed for the menorah in the Temple, which was required to burn throughout the night every night. But there was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared by the Jewish sages to commemorate this miracle.
[...] Hanukkah: cultural wars defining Israeli identityBy giladlotanBut there was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared by the Jewish sages to commemorate this …Giladon-line – http://giladlotan.com/blog [...]
[...] For further background on the story of Hanukkah visit this post. Share This [...]
I do not accept the fixation that “Israel is a country where many secular citizens feel the burden of religious law forced upon their everyday lives” and sure not that “most secular citizens in Israel identify as Israeli first, and Jewish second.” It’s quite untrue. Most of the secular Jews live well with the “burden of religious law” which mainly influences most of the secular Israelis to marry willingly by traditional law. Only few revolt and marry by citizen laws abroad (mainly when married with non Jewish).
I do think that the truth is that the vast majority of the secular Israeli Jews are feeling that they are first Jews and than Israelis.
+ Abe, you are right that most secular Israelis live with the burden of religious law, but I have to argue that they most definitely do not “live well†with it. Israelis are very good at taking hardships and continuing on with their lives, not stopping. For instance, not living in fear when buses are blown up left right and center. So when it comes to the secular-religious status quo in Israel, many accept it, but that does not mean it is accepted well. The majority of Israelis are secular. And many of them resent being dictated by a strident ultra-orthodox minority.
There’s more information here – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Israel
and also here – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/events/israel_at_50/israel_today/81033.stm
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