As American Jews around the world binge over their Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and green-bean casserole while anticipating the most intense shopping day of the year — We (in Israel) are anticipating and preparing for that other week in the year…Hanukkah!
Thus, presenting HANUKKAH: The director’s cut. We want you to help us create Leadel’s new holiday film by sending in questions and feedback in our newest crowd-sourcing project.
BUT WAIT, in order for this to work, after you read this, take ACTION!
I’ll say it loud and proud – I love Hanukkah! From the presents to the decorative lights to the traditional meals, it’s one of the most festive Jewish holidays around. Moreover, it has a great story with larger than life heroes and deus ex machina miracles that every boy and girl can sing about.
But is it that simple? If you dig a bit deeper, it quickly becomes apparent that the history of the "festival of lights" is really not that clear cut: Were the Maccabees heroes or are we actually celebrating the victory of the extremists over the moderate Jews? And what can we learn from this story in our day and age? Do we like that lesson?
The more we dig, the more we realize the story we know is only a one-sided tale. Hence we’re shooting a short film based on YOUR IDEAS about what “really happened” in Hanukkah.
Send in your ideas by commenting here, or HERE, or contact us directly)
and the final cut will be uploaded on the eighth day of Hanukkah, HERE on Jewlicious, Leadel, JPost.com and elsewhere! (if you want to be included contact us directly)
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THE ACTION PART: Comment/ Write / Send us Your Ideas!!! Remember, without your comments, there is no crowd.
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I’m with ck on this one. This business of relating the Maccabees to fanatics while the Hellenized Jews are considered “moderate” is to extremely distort the notion of faith and belief in those days. This was the Land of Israel over which they were fighting. It was not just holy land to them but also the home of god that was being defiled.
You know, when certain Jews today call themselves “progressive,” all it means is that they like to flatter themselves. Their views are not more progressive than the views of others. When other Jews label themselves as “true Jews” and declare Jews from other streams inferior or worse, they are also flattering themselves but in reality not in a position to criticize others.
The Maccabees represented a certain stream back then, and their enemies were of a different stream. Moderate and extremist are terms that distort in this instance.
Hellenist collaborators are now called “moderate Jews?” I don’t know about that… try to stop me from circumcising my son. Try to force me to eat pork and see what happens. And I’m usually a pretty chill guy…