Hanukkah: Keeping the light of tradition alive in the darkness

Today, despite the frequent hypocritical condemnations, Israel is shining a giant spotlight into the world. Together, let’s make that light shine ever brighter.

By RAPHAEL SHORE, LIZZY SAVETSKY DECEMBER 25, 2024 02:11

THE WRITERS take questions from the audience after a screening of ‘Tragic Awakening: A New Look at the Oldest Hatred,’ in New York City. (photo credit: HEIDI GREEN)

“May the bridges I burn light the way.” It’s a bold statement from Dylan McKay on Beverly Hills, 90210. The line resonates, not just for the rebellious bad boy who said it, but because it reminds us that standing firm in our values – even at the cost of comfort, relationships, or opportunities – isn’t about destruction. It’s about blazing a trail of truth, following it boldly, and illuminating it for others.

That’s exactly what the Maccabees did.

As the first flames of the Hanukkah menorah flicker tonight, we reflect on an ancient victory that carries profound meaning today. The Hanukkah story is more than a tale of military triumph; it is a spiritual manifesto recounting the clash of two worldviews: the Hellenistic glorification of power and beauty, and the Jewish ethos of divine purpose and ethical living.

This ancient conflict wasn’t merely about land or resources but about humanity’s purpose.

The Greeks sought to extinguish the light of Torah – the Jewish framework of sanctity, ethical monotheism, and moral responsibility. They banned Shabbat, circumcision, and Torah study, attacking the pillars of Jewish identity, purpose, and continuity. Their campaign wasn’t just against Jews; it was against the values Judaism brought to the world.

Images of Hanukkah are splashed on the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)

A recurring pattern 

We see this pattern across history. From Pharaoh’s enslavement to Haman’s plot, the Inquisition, the Holocaust, Soviet purges, and today’s Islamist terrorism, evil always finds the Jews and seeks to eradicate their values.

Adolf Hitler (may his name be erased) understood this eternal values war with chilling clarity. He despised Judaism not just for its people but for its principles, which he saw as the antithesis of his ideology of might and conquest.

In Mein Kampf, he wrote: “If Germany frees itself from this embrace [of Jewry], this greatest of all dangers to the peoples can be regarded as crushed for the entire world.” He saw Jewish principles of compassion, love, and universal dignity as a direct threat to his vision of dominance and survival of the fittest. This recognition, in his mind, demanded a “final solution.”

In a 1941 conversation with the Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin al-Husseini, Hitler explained, “This was the decisive struggle… Ideologically it [the war] was a battle between National Socialism and the Jews.” He viewed the war not merely as military but as a clash of opposing worldviews.

Radical Islamists, beginning with the Mufti who spent the war years as Hitler’s guest – and ally – in Berlin, and continuing until today, have taken up this mantle in the modern era, seeking to destroy Israel and Jewish influence as part of their war against the West and its ideals rooted in Judeo-Christian ethics.

---

---

Antisemitism is not merely economic envy or social tension. It is a rejection of the moral and spiritual message Judaism embodies.

Raphael Shore explores this dynamic in his book Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Jew?, showing how Jew-hatred’s persistence, intensity, and universality demand we look beyond conventional explanations that cast Jew-hatred as just a regular bigotry or a need to find a scapegoat.

Jew-hatred reflects a recognition – often subconscious – of the transformative power of Jewish drive and values, which challenge oppressive ideologies and moral complacency.

Hanukkah's timeless lessons

Hanukkah teaches us not just why Jews are hated but how to respond. The Maccabees refused to despair or assimilate. They fought to preserve their identity, restoring the Temple and rekindling the menorah – a symbol of spiritual resilience. Their victory wasn’t just military; it was a triumph of light over darkness, of meaning over materialism.

This message feels urgent today. In an era of rising antisemitism, we must respond with moral and spiritual courage. Lizzy Savetsky has experienced this firsthand and has chosen to stand proudly as an unapologetic voice for Jewish values and identity. By doing so, she reminds others of the importance of embracing who we are and living our traditions with pride.

Hanukkah calls on us to recognize that embracing our identity is not just survival – it is our mission. This is the deeper meaning of “May the bridges I burn light the way” and of being “a light unto the nations.”

The Hanukkah story is about a small group with conviction standing against overwhelming odds. They risked everything to protect values greater than themselves. They burned the bridges of conformity and apathy, knowing what they stood to lose paled next to what they stood to protect.

Lighting the darkness today 

This understanding shifts the conversation. If antisemitism is a rejection of Jewish values, then our response cannot be limited to physical survival or political advocacy. It must involve a rededication to the very principles that have made Jews targets throughout history.

As we light the hanukkiah, we remember: The battle between light and darkness is ongoing. The Jewish people have a sacred mission, and every generation – and each of us – must rise to it.

This means seeing today’s war against both Islamists and global double standards as not an isolated incident but as part of the oldest hatred. It means sharing Jewish values in a world starving for moral clarity. Jew-hatred is not a reason to retreat but a call to engage more deeply with our faith.

Each of us can be a vessel for light that dispels darkness. And we’re not just talking about taking a stand on social media – we’re talking about having conversations with friends, neighbors, and colleagues, even when it’s uncomfortable.

It means bringing traditions alive in our homes, not just as rituals but as acts that connect us to spirituality, meaning, and our identity. Lighting the menorah is not just festive; it’s a meditation on the living miracle of Jewish survival and the responsibility to keep that flame alive.

The Maccabees didn’t just fight for themselves. They fought for their values, their future, and the light that still burns today. As we honor their legacy, let’s stand together, proud and unafraid, burning the bridges that hold us back and illuminating the path forward.

One small light can push back a world of darkness. Today, despite the frequent hypocritical condemnations, Israel is shining a giant spotlight into the world. Together, let’s make that light shine ever brighter.

Raphael Shore is a filmmaker and human rights activist, whose latest film and first book on antisemitism are being launched tonight in Jerusalem. For last tickets: tickchak.co.il/MOT/en.

Lizzy Savetsky is a digital advocate for Israel and the Jewish people who uses her platform to spread truth, bring awareness, and fight hate.