Hanukkah At Marianopolis
Hanukkah, or Chanukah, the Hebrew word for dedication, is a Jewish holiday that finds its roots in the commemoration of the recovery of Jerusalem in the second century BC. At that time occupied by the Seleucid Empire, who imposed their culture upon the Israeli people, the Holy City was the battleground for the Maccabean Revolt, a desperate attempt to liberate Jerusalem of foreign rule. As the story goes, Judah of Maccabee, a Jewish priest, successfully led a small group of faithful and armed Jews to victory against one of the biggest and mightiest armies of that time.
Wanting to rededicate the Holy Temple to God, the Maccabees sought to resume the practice of Temple rituals, including the lighting of the Menorah with pure olive oil. This substance was hard to obtain as it could only be made by individuals in a state of spiritual purity, and, returning from the battlefield, the liberators of Israel were deemed unworthy for another seven days. According to legend, the Maccabees found but one single olive cruse (a jug) that had eluded contamination from the Seleucids, just enough for a day’s worth of lighting. Instead, it lasted eight whole days, just enough time for new pure olive oil to be made. Surnamed the Miracle of the Cruse of Oil, this event was described in the Talmud as the origin of Hanukkah.
Celebrated on the 25th day of Kislev, the ninth month of the Hebrew Calendar (November-December), Hanukkah is an eight-day festival of lights, this year from November 28th to December 6th. More than a simple commemoration, it is a time of community, family, and of friendship, where the Hebrew people during this time find a strong message of hope and of resilience. Families all over the world observe the holiday with a nightly menorah lighting, with one added candle per day, special prayers, and foods often deep-fried in oil.
In the spirit of unity and celebration, assisted by the Marianopolis Hillel Club, the Cultural Affairs Committee wants to offer students an opportunity to learn more about Hanukkah with a few activities: on Tuesday, November 30th, during AP, a rabbi has been invited to speak about the holiday, lecture followed by the playing of a traditional Hebrew game of dreidel. A menorah will also be placed on Monday, in front of Wayne’s, to light once per day throughout the holiday. These activities will be open to all interested students.
On a final note, the finals are approaching quickly. As a tale of resilience and perseverance, the recovery of Jerusalem by the outnumbered Maccabees is an example of how powerful faith can be. This exam period, have faith in your own capabilities; remember that you are not alone, and that, together, we can get through this. On behalf of the Cultural Affairs Committee, I wish you all luck with your exams and an enjoyable winter break!
