VIDEO: Hanukkah in the midst of war - Celebrating light in a dark time
Join ALL ISRAEL NEWS for an inside look at Hanukkah in Israel
With Israel already in its third month of war following the horrific Hamas invasion at the end of Sukkot, the nation now finds itself entering another Jewish holiday, Hanukkah.
Hanukkah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees, a group of Jews fighting for the right to live according to their religious standards and identity, over the forces of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV.
In Rabbinic Judaism, the focus of the holiday turned from the Maccabean victory to a story of the miracle of the oil jar. However, since the founding of the modern State of Israel in 1948, the story of the Maccabees has gained popularity among Jews living in Israel.
Now that Israel finds itself in a war against another enemy that wishes to erase the Jewish presence from the land, Hanukkah has taken on a different meaning for many Israeli families.
Many fathers and husbands are away from home, serving in the military reserves this year, either on Israel's northern or southern fronts. With long winter nights making darkness so prevalent, the “Festival of Lights” is rekindling a sense of hope and determination to face the challenges ahead.
The war, and the rising tides of antisemitism in the wider world, have convinced many Israelis about the importance of the Israeli family.
Join ALL ISRAEL NEWS as we look at one communal celebration of Hanukkah and hear from Israelis what Hanukkah means to them.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
