Enlighten Your Chanukah: Legacy, Leadership, and Light
Enlighten Your Chanukah: Legacy, Leadership, and Light
Chanukah is one of the most defining stories in Jewish history—and it doesn’t stay in the past. It steps into every generation and asks a living question:
When others demand that we redefine our identity—will we bend, bow our head to belong or will we stand up?
That is why Chanukah feels so relevant today.
In our time, many Jews are being pressured to hide their Jewish identity, to “keep it quiet,” to renounce Zionism, and—too often—to accept blame for Hamas’ atrocities. Some conform to avoid conflict. Worse, some bow their heads to belong, even when belonging requires aligning with hatred and distortion. And yet, just like then, a small group refuses to disappear—standing with clarity, holding the line, and carrying the light forward.
Because the truth is this: the pressure to erase identity often begins with humiliation, shame, and submission—and when people refuse to surrender, it eventually descend into violence.
Chanukah is everyone’s story. It reflects how life can spin us into trial and tribulation—and then calls us back to rededication: not only to a Temple of stone, but to the inner temple of character—anchored in truth, tenacity, and responsibility, so we can serve others and help make the world better.
Once upon a time…
After Alexander the Great died (323 BCE), his empire fractured into rival kingdoms. Judea, the Land of Israel, fell under Seleucid rule. At first, Antiochus III allowed Jews to practice their faith. But after his death, his son Antiochus IV Epiphanes seized power and everything changed.
Antiochus sought to unify his empire by enforcing Hellenistic culture—Greek gods, Greek customs, the Greek language, pagan worship, and demonstrate absolute loyalty to the kingdom.
Antiochus decreed that Jews were:
- Forbidden to observe Shabbat and Jewish holidays
- Banned from Torah study and prayer
- Prohibited from performing brit milah (circumcision)
- Commanded to worship Greek idols instead of God
- Ordered to sacrifice swine in the Holy Temple
- Forced to eat pork as proof of loyalty
For many Jews, Antiochus’ decree was not “just culture.” It was designed to strip them of their identity, values, and traditions. Some bowed their heads and assimilated to survive. They were known as Hellenistic Jews—or in Hebrew, mityavnim, meaning “those becoming Greek.”
But others refused to blend in to belong. The line-holders were the Hasmonean family and their followers, who became known as the Maccabees.
The Line-Holders: The Hasmoneans
The Hasmoneans were a priestly family led by Matityahu HaKohen (Mattathias) and his sons. They refused to comply, conform, or cower under Antiochus’ decrees.
Antiochus was outraged. What began as a public spectacle—meant to humiliate Jews into bowing to Zeus and idols, eating pork, and sacrificing swine in the Temple—soon descended into violence. In 168 BCE, Greek-Syrian troops swept into Jerusalem, murdering those who refused to comply. Public humiliation turned into bloodshed.
In Modiin, Greek soldiers stormed in and ordered Matityahu, the High Priest, to eat pork, sacrifice swine, and bow to Zeus. He refused. When a Hellenistic Jew stepped forward to submit in his place, Matityahu—outraged—struck down the collaborator and then killed the Greek officer. He refused to normalize this new reality for Jews.
That single act of defiance—joined with the courage of the Maccabees and the sacrifice of the Jews of Modiin—ignited a revolt. It shattered the “new normal” and inspired others to rise.
That defining moment, despite the risk, lit the fuse of a three-year uprising. Matityahu and his five sons fled to the hills, and a small band followed them into resistance.
The Light That Would Not Go Out
About a year later, Matityahu died, and leadership passed to his son Judah Maccabee [מַכַּבִּי]—translated as “the Hammer,” and also linked to the Hebrew acronym “Who is like You among the mighty, O God” מִי כָּמוֹךָ בָּאֵלִים יְהוָה, (Exodus 15:11). Though the Maccabees were a minority, they were mighty in conviction, grit, and principle. Driven by a mission to preserve and restore Jewish life, they pushed back the Greek-Syrian forces until they reclaimed Jerusalem.
Upon their hard-won victory, Judah and his men returned to the Temple and found it desecrated and in ruins. They cleared out the idols, rebuilt the altar, and prepared to relight the menorah—the golden lamp symbolizing God’s eternal light and Israel’s spiritual continuity.
They found only enough pure oil to burn for one day—yet the flame burned for eight nights. That is the miracle of Chanukah.
The rededication holds two memories side by side: the historical rededication of the Temple—and the call to personal spiritual endurance, the rededication of oneself to the highest ethics of Torah and commandments.
The most profound lesson:
Even if you have enough oil for only one day—
one candle, one voice, one act of courage—
light it, in service of yourself and others.
Lessons of Leadership, Legacy, and Light
Chanukah, in Hebrew, means rededication. It signifies the moment the Temple was reclaimed—and it also calls us to rededicate ourselves outward into our homes and communities. Torah and covenant are not only learned; they are lived and passed dor l’dor, from generation to generation.
At the heart of Jewish theology is this call to lead: service of God means seeking truth and spreading that light to help make the world a better place.
Chanukah rituals are not merely tradition—they are leadership symbols, teaching us how to carry light with courage and responsibility.
The Chanukiah: A Portrait of Character
The chanukiah begins with the shamash—lit first, not to shine alone, but to ignite the others, one flame at a time, one day at a time. It teaches what leadership looks like: principled, visible, and purposeful.
A leader uses their voice with clarity, courage, and care—to awaken strength in others.
True leaders ask: How can my gifts bring light to others?
Each Chanukah symbol points to a trait we are meant to develop:
- Sufganiyot (סופגניות) — Discernment
From the Hebrew root meaning “to absorb” (and by extension, “to tolerate”). Leaders choose what they absorb and what they refuse to normalize. Tolerance is a virtue only when guided by truth. - Latkes — Integrity and Grit
Pressed and flattened, latkes remind us: when fear presses down, don’t flatten yourself to belong or bow. Hold your values—especially under pressure. - Dreidel — Responsibility
Life spins beyond our control—unpredictable and unsteady. Leaders stay grounded and take responsibility for their choices, no matter where the dreidel lands. - Gelt and Gifts — Contribution
Leaders develop their gifts through effort and discipline, then use them to uplift others.
Antiochus is not only a figure from history—he symbolizes any force that demands surrender, submission, or erasure in exchange for belonging and eventually leading to cultural genocide.
Parallels: Then / Now
Then: Antiochus and his army targeted Jews and Judea.
Now: Jews and Zionists are targeted by educational institutions and media through radical propaganda.
Then: Jews were ordered to abandon Shabbat and Torah.
Now: Jews are pressured to abandon Israel and erase their Jewish identity.
Then: Torah learning was outlawed.
Now: Zionist viewpoints are distorted, censored, and erased.
Then: public humiliation turned into violence.
Now: refusing to conform can lead to intimidation, retaliation, and exclusion.
Then and now, we could list more—and go on.
Takeaway
When we absorb without discernment—truth versus lie—flatten ourselves under pressure, avoid standing up for truth, or trade courage for temporary comfort while abandoning our identity, the outcome is clear: we dim our flame. The fire within weakens, and moral decay spreads slowly.
But when we live like the shamash—serving, kindling, and lifting others toward the light—our light multiplies, and the world grows brighter.
Chanukah is not only about lighting candles—it is about shaping our character, deepening our spirituality, and strengthening our inner steadiness. As the Sages teach: “A mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23). Each flame invites us to become a little more grounded, a little more brave, and a little more true.
Conclusion
May this Chanukah illuminate our path—to share our stories, do what is right, and ignite the light in others, one candle at a time. Chanukah calls us to shift from surrender to strength and from conformity to courage.
Personal Reflection
When you’re pressured—at school, work, or in friendships—to “blend in” or bow your head, how do you discern when to stand up and when to step back without surrendering who you are?
עם ישראל חי — Am Yisrael Chai. Then. Now. Always.
