IN THE MIDST OF OUR CHRISTIAN ADVENT COMES JEWISH HANUKKAH.........

Tonight, at sundown Jewish people throughout the world begin their 8 day feast of, HANUKKAH, "The Festival of Lights". The Feast of Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the month of Kislev, at sundown. The word 'hanukkah', in Hebrew means, "dedication" and the Jewish Feast of Hanukkah, denotes the holy re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Jewish victory over the Syrian Greeks in 165 B.C. Their victory came after a three year war, during which the Syrian Greek soldiers had taken possession of the Temple and dedicated it to the Greek god, Zeus. Then, the Greek emperor, Antiochius, declared Judaism an offense punishable by death. Jews were also forced to worship Greek gods. Those developments caused the Jewish to fight back with the High Priest, Mattathias and his family coalescing the Jewish resistance and gradually regaining Palestine, a group of people who became known as the Macabees. Returning to Jerusalem the Macabees recaptured the Temple, which had been desecretated, so that they lit a golden menorah to purify and re-dedicate it for eight nights, but had only one night's oil. Somehow, miraculously the one night of oil lasted all eight nights. Thus, menorahs with eight candles are a focal symbol of Hanukkah, even now. Jewish families lighting the candles, one daily for eight days and nights in succession during Hanukkah, just as we as Catholic-Christians light one of the four Advent candles, for each week of the Season of Advent. Hanukkah has also evolved into a celebration of nightly gifts for the children in Jewish familes, playing a game with a toy called a dreidel, and the eating of fried foods namely special potato pancakes and jelly donuts. So during the 3rd Week of Christian Advent as we celebrate the Joy of the nearness of Jesus' Coming, our Jewish predecessors are commemorating and celebrate their great Festival of Lights, when they rediscovered the holiness and gladness that their Temple and relationship to God provides them.........To all my Jewish friends who begin their annual 8 day celebration
tonight, HAPPY HANUKKAH. Yours in InterFaith Peace, Fr. Troy