The Unspoken Miracle of Hanukkah Exists Beyond War and Long-Lasting Oil

Two years ago, on the second night of Hanukkah, my father passed away. Frankly, I imagine he had booked the date, himself, in advance, so the timing could not have been more appropriate. That year, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah shared a day of mutual observance; my father left this world accompanied by his two favorite holidays. As a rabbi, he saw a deep confluence between them. To him, both Hanukkah and Thanksgiving were about freedom and hope and the role we play in our own redemption.

He felt there is clearly a dichotomy in our understanding of what actually constitutes the miracle of Hanukkah, and thus the key reasons for its observance. On one hand we all know of the great military victory of the Maccabees, led by Judah, who despite their smaller and lesser equipped army, were able to chase the Syrian-Greeks of Jerusalem and reclaim the Temple. (In fact, I played Judah Maccabee in many school plays, featuring the King of Latkes and other important Jewish figures, a hotly contested part I might add. I always loved the sword and shield I got to take home as a souvenir.) In this instance, the miracle of Hanukkah is clear: God brought victory to a rag-tag Jewish army over a mighty power. It’s a story for our time but also one that resonated for oppressed Jewish populations through the ages.

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