The Real Meaning Of Chanukah

The picture I'm using over this Chanukah festival is that of a Menorah, incised on the plaster of a house wall, found in Jerusalem, dating from the time of King Herod. It is very possible that the actual Menorah involved in the story of Chanukah would have resembled this closely.

When many of us celebrate Chanukah, we don't realise the significance of the festival. Whereas other nations have tried to destroy us physically (like the Nazis and the Romans), the Greeks were much more subtle in their approach, attacking our spirituality by trying to prohibit us from keeping the laws of the Torah - the same Divine commandments that have guaranteed our survival for over five thousand years.

These days, (like many of the Jews at the times of the Maccabees)a significant number of our brethren are foresaking their heritage to assimilate with the rest of the world. Hence the reason why Chanukah as a festival is so important. It reminds us that, despite the will of so many out there who try to convince us to give up our religious belief and way of life to "join them", we resolutely refuse to do so.

People mistakenly think that the Star of David is an ancient Jewish symbol. In fact, the real moniker that we carry is the Menorah. It is therefore no coincidence that the City of Jerusalem, our eternal capital, displays a Menorah as it's official emblem.

Long live the Jewish Nation and our stubborn but unbreakable adherence to the Torah. G-d commanded Moses all those years ago to build a Menorah in the desert - and every night, when we light our Menorahs, we should remind ourselves of role this incredible object plays, both in our history and our future.

Happy Chanukah dear friends.