Tag Archives: Chanukah

Chag Chanukah sameach from Jews Down Under Credit: Kosher.com Chanukah commemorates rededication of the Temple during the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid (Greek) Empire in the Second Century CE. The revolt was begun by the priest Mattathias and later carried on by his third son, Judah Maccabee. It imparts important …

Tonight we kindle the first light of Chanukah.  And it strikes me that this year the messages and themes of the holiday are especially important: It is hardly an easy time. Not here in Israel, and certainly not in the US.  We struggle with corona and the concommitant economic difficulties. …

Australia and Judaism Combine Celebrating 2020 Hanukkah Season Cairns, QLD, —To celebrate the 2020 Chanukah season, Chabad North Queensland lit up a giant boomerang menorah at the Cairns Esplanade.  The life size menorah, was constructed entirely of boomerangs and provided Cairns’ Jewish and wider community with a safe way to …

It’s been a long time since I’ve done one of these posts, and while I don’t promise to be going back to making this a regular feature, I am delighted to feel “the muse” awaken within me. It’s the first day of Chanukah today, and soon we’ll begin Shabbat Chanukah. …

I’m a couple of days late with my Chanukah post but the reason is all good – on Sunday we celebrated the brit of our new grandson and we were still in recovery mode so to speak.  The baby is called Tzuri Menachem and he is beautiful bli ayin hara! …

The eight-day festival of Chanukah began on Sunday night. And its message seems especially important – especially relevant – this year. We know about the miracle of the oil: When the Jews achieved victory over their Greek oppressors, in the second century BCE, they went to rededicate the Temple, which …

You have heard of the Giant Mango but have you heard of the Giant Mango Chanukah Menorah? Cairns Jewish Community ignited a public Chanukah menorah erected on the Esplanade in Cairns .  This Chanukah menorah –  is likely to be a world first, as it is created using North Queensland …

There seems to be a lot of confusion about Chanukah – to the point where it appears to be deliberate. Let’s begin with what it’s not about. 1. It’s not a Jewish Christmas In many circles, Chanukah seems to have become an imitation Christmas – a holiday of food, lights, …

A SHAMMASH IN THE AGE OF ELECTRICITY. Q.  Why do we need a shammash these days when we have easy access to electricity? A.  The technical answer is that – regardless of using the shammash as a “servant” to kindle the lights – there must always be an extra light …

Last I wrote, I began with good news, which set an optimistic tone, and then followed with a catalogue of worrisome issues. The good news is real, and there is yet more of it. But the bad news?  It is ominous and weighs heavily on the soul: Antisemitism is up …

LIGHTS INSIDE & OUT. The Lubavitcher Rebbe said that the Chanukah lights fulfil a double purpose. They are a source of light within the house, and they also symbolise the duty of bringing light to the world outside. This is suggested by midrashic sources which speak of the Jewish people …

A CHANUKAH ALPHABET. AL HANISSIM – thanksgiving prayer for the Chanukah miracle; inserted in the Amidah and Grace After Meals. ANTIOCHUS – Syrian Greek ruler called Epiphanes (“glorious”) by his admirers and Epimanes (“madman“) by his detractors. BET HILLEL & BET SHAMMAI – rival schools of thought: Bet Shammai ruled …

WHY BLAME THE GREEKS? During World War II when Rabbi Jacob Danglow was visiting Jewish internees in a camp in Australia, he conducted a Chanukah service and innocently mentioned Jewish problems with the Greeks. Unfortunately there were Greeks as well as Jews at that camp and a riot almost ensued. …

IS CHANUKAH REALLY WORTH CELEBRATING? Q. The Maccabean victory which gave rise to Chanukah did not endure: the freedom it achieved lasted less than a century. So why should later generations regard the event as worth celebrating? A. The sages recognised the problem when they asked the question, “Mai Chanukah?” …

The windows are ice frosted; it’s dark and there is a snowstorm outside. I sit on a warm carpet in our living room, enchanted by the lights of multi-coloured Chanukah candles. Packed in a light-blue box, these candles arrived in a humanitarian aid parcel from Israel, together with a tin …

HELLENISM & THE STRUGGLE FOR JEWISH IDENTITY The appeal of Chanukah is amazing. Other occasions have their ups and downs, sometimes honoured in the breach more than the observance. But Chanukah continues to win and hold the loyalty of vast numbers of Jews, and to be brought into the public …

The eight-day festival of Chanukah,  has two aspects to it: The story of the miracle, when – at the time of the rededication of the Temple – enough oil for one day lasted for eight.  And the historical story of the defeat by the Maccabees of Antiochus, ruler of the …

I am currently preparing for the arrival of family, and so have only a brief moment to write.  The next three days I will be devoting myself to Chanukah (and Shabbat) and family – which is, quite frankly, a double lifesaver for me. Simply wanted to update my readers, with …

Once again I am posting a beautiful item written by my rabbi in this week’s newsletter from my shul/synagogue, Coogee. NSW. I have to say I was in tears at the end of reading this. I went to visit the makeshift shrine at Martin Place today. The overall sombre tone …

Some news a tad encouraging, and other news that’s nothing short of infuriating. Sometimes it’s hard to determine whether we have, on average, broken even.  Doesn’t look so here. ~~~~~~~~~~ But let’s put that aside from a moment, and attend to first things first.  It is Chanukah, and I want …