Bondi Beach forces our wider society to ask the difficult question. Why are Jewish people not safe? Hanukkah offers a powerful lens through which to do that.
The history of Hanukkah
Hanukkah commemorates events recorded in the books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, set in the second century BCE. At that time, the Jewish people lived under the rule of the Seleucid Empire, governed by King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Antiochus outlawed Jewish religious practices, desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem, and attempted to force Jewish people to abandon their faith and identity. This was not merely political control; it was cultural and religious erasure.
Some Jewish people chose to assimilate. They adopted Greek names, customs, clothing, and ways of life to reduce danger and gain acceptance. Others refused. Many were tortured and killed for remaining faithful to their traditions. Eventually, a small group led by Judah Maccabee revolted. Against overwhelming odds, they reclaimed the Temple and restored Jewish worship. Hanukkah celebrates that resistance, not only military victory, but the insistence that Jewish identity should not be erased for the sake of safety.
Compassion in the face of unbelief
I once had a conversation with an Orthodox Jewish man who told me he would not discuss Jesus with me. …