Posted in Holidays

I have always thought of New Year's Day as a pretty innocuous holiday.  I remember as a kid trying to stay up until midnight to watch the world change - and then being a bit disappointed when I finally made it and nothing happened. LOL

When I was in Israel it was a big celebration as well, basically the same as the rest of the world.  The only real difference was that they called it "Sylvester's Day"  For some reason, it never even occurred to me to ask "why?"

And then just last year a friend asked me if I knew why they called it Sylvester's Day and since I didn't I decided to do a bit of research.  What I found was a bit appalling and I now strongly believe that my family can not celebrate January 1st.

Before I go into that history, I just want to say that this is my personal belief and that there is no Jewish law against celebrating January 1st that I am aware of.  I know many members of my community went to "First Night" and one person in particular seemed to think it strange that I wouldn't go.  I certainly am not telling anyone else what to do.  But I decide what is best for my family - and we won't be celebrating.

So for those who don't know let me give a brief history of New Year's.

Julius Ceasar first set New Year's Day as a Pagan holiday on January 1st.  He set this day because he had named the month after the Roman god Janus, the god of doors and gates.  Janus had 2 faces - one looking forward and one looking back, and Ceasar felt that was appropriate for the start of the year.  He celebrated that first New Year by ordering an attack of Jewish "leaders" in the Galilee.  The carnage was absolutely immense, with blood flowing in the streets. 

When the Roman Empire became Chr-stian under Constantine, New Year's Day was moved to March 25.  This is Annunciation Day - the day Mary was told she would have a baby.  William the Conquerer tried to move it back to January 1st to coincide with his coronation in 1066, but it never took hold.

It wasn't until the 1582 that Pope Gregory decided to move the date to January 1st - to coincide with what would have been J-sus's circumcision (if in fact he had been born on Dec 25, which most scholars agree that he wasn't).  Gregory made this change as a part of a bunch of other changes he made to the calendar (now called the Gregorian Calendar) - establishing leap years, etc..

To celebrate that first New Year's, Pope Gregory decreed that all Jews had to attend church that day to listen to a conversion sermon.  Those not attending would be punished with death.

The next year Gregory enacted a new law imposing a tax on all Jews to support a "House of Conversion" whose main goal was to convert Jews.

The next New Year's Day he ordered all sacred texts be confiscated from all Jews living in the Roman Empire.  Many Jews of course were slaughtered in this confiscation.

You can begin to see a pattern.  For the next few centuries, New Year's Day was always a day of anti-Jewish activities.  The reason being  that J-sus's circumcision supposedly signified the birth of Ch-stianity and the end of Judaism.

So where does, Sylvester fit in to all this?  Sylvester was Pope during the Council of Nicea under Emperor Constantine.  He is now a Catholic saint, and like all Saints he has his own day -I believe it is his birthday.  So, under the Catholic Church, December 31 is St. Sylvester's Day.

Sylvester is known for encouraging Constantine to pass a whole host of anti-semitic laws- including the expulsion of all Jews from Jerusalem.  Constantine, as you may know, was the first Ch-stian Roman Emperor.

So for the Jews living in Israel today they have decided to take Sylvester Day and show that they are still in Israel, despite him.  So for them it is a gala celebration of Jews once again living in the Holy Land.

For me, living in America, I feel no desire to celebrate today.

Posted in Holidays

As I mentioned yesterday it is customary to eat Dairy foods during Chanukah in honor of Yehudit.  Since her story isn't very well known I thought I would tell it.

First let me say that the story of Yehudit is quasi-legend (but don't let it get around that I said so!).  It was passed orally for centuries, but then some written copies were found of it as well.  These copies were in Hebrew and a Greek translation.  No one knows exactly when she lived, but it is believed that she was a daughter of Yochanon, the High Priest who Antiochus had removed, and that her story took place during Chanukah.  So we celebrate her now.

Yehudit was a young Jewish widow who lived in the town of Bethulia in northern Judea.    She was known for her kindness, good deeds and acts of charity - as well as her devoutness.

Then the Syrian-Greek Army invaded with Holofernes at it's helm.  He was a merciless invader, destroying all men, women and children in his path.  The Jews fought bravely but were no real match.  He closed off all access to food and water to the residents and they were in great despair.  Their faith was wavering and they wanted to surrender.  Uzzia was leader of the Jews and he convinced the townspeople to wait it out 5 more days.

Yehudit went to Uzzia and said that she had a plan, and asked if she could leave the town and go see Holfernes.  At first Uzzia refused, but eventually gave in, and let her go to what they believed would be her death.

The townspeople all prayed for Yehudit as she left the town, dressed in her finest clothes,  with a basket of cheese and wine.  She told the sentries that she had come to see Holfernes, and due to her beauty she was allowed in.

She told Holfernes that she wanted to help him capture the town, if he would be merciful with the survivors.  She said that since her husband had died, the town had become unbearable, so she had wanted to meet the general.

She told him that the people were desperate, but had unwavering faith and would never surrender.  But they were running out of food and would soon have to turn to non-kosher animals.  When they did that, G-d would be angry with them and the town would fall.  Yehudit promised to spy for Holfernes and tell him when they had started eating non-kosher animals so that he could storm the walls of the city.

Holfernes was captivated by Yehudit and gave orders that she not be harmed and that he would marry her when the battle had been won.  So she was now able to walk back and forth to the town without fear of being harmed.  Everyday she went up to the town gate and told the townspeople to be strong that she had won Holfernes' trust.  Holfernes, though, secure in his victory, spent his days getting drunk with his aids.

On the 3rd day, Holfernes called Yehudit and asked for news.  She told him that they had run out of kosher food that day and within 2 days they would resort to non-kosher food.  Thrilled by the news, Holfernes said he wanted to celebrate -alone with Yehudit, and she agreed.

Yehudit brought her wine and cheese to his tent that night and told him that she had been saving this for just the occassion.  She fed him chunk after chunk of the cheese, which was of course salty and made him thirsty.  She satisfied his thirst with her strong wine.  Until he was sprawled on the ground - dead drunk.

She prayed to G-d asking him for strength.  Then she took Holfernes' heavy sword and brought it down on his neck, decapitating him.

She wrapped up the head and hid it under her cloak and walked back to the town slowly, so as not to arouse suspicion.

She then brought the head to Uzzia, and told him that they needed to attack the enemy camp at once.  They would be surprised and not even know that Holfernes was dead yet.  When the enemy finds Holfernes' body they will all flee for their lives.

Which is exactly what happened - and was a key turning point in the revolt against the Greeks.

We celebrate the heroism of that brave woman, whose thoughts and actions were only for her people and for her G-d. That is the reason that cheese is eaten during Chanukah, to remember the heroism of that righteous woman, Yehudit.

Posted in Holidays

So, here we are at Chanukah Day 2 and I thought i would talk about the real story of Chanukah and what we can still learn from it today.  Because it does have a very powerful message for Jews in America.

But first, I need to show this picture because it is absolutely hilarious:


I didn't take the picture, it is one that is flying around the net, but it definitely gave me a good laugh.    And while it is good to laugh, this picture is even on topic.

What?  How can a picture of a Chanukah ham be about the story of Chanukah?

Well it is a little known fact that the story of Chanukah is really one about assimilation - something I feel very strongly about.

You see the Greeks/Syrians had ruled Israel for many years before the rebellion took place (please don't make me go and look up how many years).  They infused the area with Greek culture and civilization, and invited the Jews living there to take part.  And many Jews began to find it enticing.  They began to dress in the Greek style, wrestle in the gymnasium, and go to Greek plays.  It was all very subtle at first, but the Greek way was permeating the Jews.

The Greeks of course encouraged this.  It was how they built their empire.  They conquer an area, assimilate all the natives into their civilization and they have happy citizens.  It worked for the Syrians after all.  They thought they could do the same with the Jews.  The Jews would assimilate in, give up their old ways - and their old religion - and become fine upstanding Greek citizens.

So, for the Jews anyway it all started innocently enough.  What is wrong with fitting in and enjoying Greek culture?  These assimilated Jews were called the "Mityavnim" which translates as Hellenists. 

There were of course Jews who spoke out against this trend.  Most outspoken was Yochanan who was the High priest in the Temple.  Yochanan felt strongly that if we adopted Greek ways we would lose our Jewish identity.  For the most part he was ignored, as it was fun to be a Greek!  Then Antiochus IV became emperor of Syria.

Antiochus was a tyrant, plain and simple.  He decided it was time to start unifying all his subjects under one religion.  He removed Yochanon as the High Priest in the Temple and replaced him with a Mityavnim.  He began to pass laws that would prevent Jewish laws.  At first they were things the Jews could work around so they didn't fight it.  Most Jews were Mityavnim and they felt that giving up the "old ways" and joining the Greek way was a much better way to live.

But the laws kept getting worse.  Eventually Jewish worship was forbidden.  Torah scrolls were confiscated and burned.  Keeping the Sabbath, keeping kosher, circumcision were all made illegal and punishable by death.  Soldiers went from town to town forcing Jews to bow down and pray to pagan idols.

Sadly, most of the Mityavnim didn't fight the new laws.  They chose to save their lives and abandon HaShem's commandments.

There were of course a group of loyal Jews who refused -led by Mattiyahu.  When the soldiers came he refused to bow to the idols.  When a Mityavnim came forward to do so, Mattiyahu killed him before he could.  And with that act the rebellion began.

Mattiyahu died shortly thereafter.  Before he died he called his 5 sons to him and told them to continue the fight.  Judah took over the military leadership.  They called themselves the Maccabees - an acronym for Mi Kamocha Ba’eilim Hashem "Who is like you, O G-d?"

Antiochus sent 2 armies in to defeat the Jews.  The Jews were tremendously outnumbered but defeated both armies.  So Antiochus sent 40,000 troops in.  The Maccabees declared they would fight to the death.  After more fierce battles, the Jews emerged victorious.  They rode to Jerusalem to reclaim the temple and throw out the pagan idols that had been placed there.  The rest of the story I told yesterday.

I find this story fascinating for a number of reasons - mostly having to do with being an observant Jew living in America.  Assimilation is still a huge problem for Jews today.  Far and away most Jews in America are assimilated.  Intermarriage rates are at astronomical high levels and more and more Jews are losing their identity.  Assimilation is far more likely to do what Hitler never could - eradicate the Jewish people.

So, am I the only one or does everyone else see the irony in Chanukah being one of the most celebrated holidays amongs Jews in America?  Truly almost all of the people who celebrate Chanukah here would be Mitznayim, and they didn't fight against the Syrians.  Logically, you would think most American Jews would want to forget the holiday all together.  But it gets remembered because that same assimilation problem makes them want to compete with their American neighbors.  So they tend to ignore what we were fighting for.

Now, I am using 'they" for the assimilated American Jews, but I am truly not trying to be judgemental.  I often wonder if I have assimilated too much - would I have joined the Maccabees?  I like to think I would have.  I am certainly more observant than most Jews in the US, but I am far from perfect.  My kids have webkinz, go to girl scouts, I am on the internet, we go to museums and movies....  there are a myriad of ways I have become part of American culture.  And I am certainly proud of my American heritage as well

But I like to tell myself that at my core I am a Jew first and foremost.  I am a Jewish American, whereas most Jews are American Jews.  I raise my children that while we currently live in a Jewish friendly country, things could change and that their loyalties should always be with HaShem above country.  (Right now for instance, there is a bill before our state senate that would make circumcision - even for religious reasons - illegal.  Sound familiar?).

The more things change the more they stay the same.

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Some articles on Assimilation: Will Your Grandchildren Be Jewish

Fighting Assimilation

This is a link to a clip from the movie "Hebrew Hammer".  It is supposed to be funny - and it is, but remember the funniest things are based in fact.  Jewlarious

Editing to add one more article.  This appeared in my mailbox this afternoon and was excellent:
Hijacking Chanukah

Posted in Holidays

Wow, time flies!  It always seems to get away from me with my crazy life.  Sorry I haven't blogged in a bit.  We have had the rounds of sickness going through the house.  And as all of you well know, when you are the mom in a house of sick people there isn't much time for anything else...  Then when you add in Chanukah preparations, well blogging just gets forgotten.

But I had this idea that i wanted to blog every day during Chanukah.  So while I make no promises, I am going to try!  Today is the first day so here we go!

Chanukah, while changing every year on the Gregorian calendar, falls on the 25th of Kislev every year on the Hebrew Calendar.  All of the Hebrew months have a different feel to them that permeates the air throughout the month.  For Kislev the theme is light and miracles.  Not hard to understand why, when you think about Chanukkah!

Which brings me to the point of today's thought.  One of the reasons I love Chanukah so much is that we are celebrating the miracle of the oil - not the battle that preceded it.  For those that don't know I will give the very basics of the story now, but will talk much more about this tomorrow.

The Greek/Syrian Army invaded Israel and destroyed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.  A small rebel army -  led by Judah Maccabee (translates to Judah the Hammer) - led a rebellion against the invaders and despite being greatly outnumbered, won and drove the invaders out of their land.  When they went back to rebuilt the temple they found that all the olive oil had been destroyed - except for one vial.  They needed to light the everlasting flame but it would take 8 days to get more oil made, and the one vial would only last for one day.  However HaShem made a miracle and that one little vial lasted for 8 days so the flame never went out.

Which brings us to a general theme in many Jewish holidays "They tried to kill us.  We won.  Let's eat."

While that is certainly true when it comes to Chanukah, the celebration is because of HaShem's miracle with the oil.  We don't light candles for eight days because the Maccabees won the fight, which can also be described as a miracle.  We light candles for 8 days, we eat foods fried in oil, because of the miracle of the oil.  To me, that says something about who we are as a people.  It permeates how I raise my children.

Kislev is a time for miracles.  Throughout history many miraculous events have happened in Kislev, and I have also felt them very strongly personally at this time of year.  I hope all of you will step back and feel the miracles the month brings.

Posted in Holidays

Simchas Torah was last Friday culminating what is basically a month of holidays. Simchas Torah means "Celebration of the Torah" and it is the day we finish reading the Torah - and start all over again.

For those that don't know, Jewish Torah study is different than others.  We are very organized and systematic about it in many ways.  The Torah is divided up into weekly readings from beginning to end - and no matter what synagogue you go into anywhere in the world they will be doing that week's reading.  We read it cover to cover every year and then start all over again.  Simchas Torah is the day we start all over again (and the day we finish).  We finish and start again on the same day so that we are always reading the Torah.  It is the most precious gift, HaShem could ever give us.

There is something very "circle of life" about Simchas Torah.  We read about the death of Moses immediately followed by the creation of the world.  You can't help but find solace in this.  It is this immensely spiritual feeling - almost overpowering!

There is a midrash that tells how HaShem decided to give the Jewish people His Torah.  He first went to all the other nations and offered it to them, but they all refused.  Finally He turned to the Jewish people and offered it to us and we were eager to have it.

HaShem asked : OK, why should I give it to you?
Jewish people:  Because we love you and want to follow your commandments!
HaShem: Sorry, that isn't really good enough.
People: Then give it to us in honor of our ancestors -Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebeccah, Jacob and Rachel and Leah.  They loved you and served you well.
HaShem: Sorry, that isn't really a good reason either.
People:  Then give it to us for the merit of our children.  We will teach them to love and honor you and follow your commandments forever.
HaShem:  Now THAT is a good reason!

For me the most wonderful thing about Judaism is how much of it revolves around our children - teaching them to love and honor HaShem and respect His commandments.  Almost all of our holidays incorporate our children into them -almost as if they were designed for them.  Simchas Torah is no exception.  We bring out every Torah in the community and dance with them for hours around the shul.  We bring them out into the streets and sing and dance with them in a parade.  Children hold their own smaller Torahs and wave flags proclaiming the greatness of HaShem.  CPG says that Simchas Torah is her favorite holiday - and I have to agree with her.

So am I just babbling or does any of this have to do with homeschooling? Actually it does.  At services, I was talking with one of the Day School teachers and she was saying how difficult it is to get any school work done for the first month of school.  It is just holiday and holiday after holiday and it is very disruptive to their schedule.  This is a common complaint - especially when you realize that they have had 16 days off in the past month!  At the same time, last week someone on a Jewish homeschooling loop posted this questions "How do you manage to get any school work done with all the Holidays?"

And the answer is:  "I don't"

To me that is part of the beauty of homeschooling!  The Holidays come every year!  There is no excuse for being surprised by them. So I plan for them.  Anyone that pulled out my calendar in August would have seen that there were 3 weeks in Sept/Oct that I planned as "no school" weeks.  Did that mean we weren't going to learn those weeks?  Of course not.  But rather than focusing on reading and math, we would focus on HaShem and his commandments.  They learned about preparing for the holidays and Jewish laws of the Holidays and celebrating the holidays -and that HaShem comes before all else.  Did they learn this by sitting with me every day and reading a book?  No-  although of course there was some of that too.  They learned by doing it, by standing next to me and helping me.  By participating in a way that they would just never be able to do if we didn't homeschool.  By being there for not just the holidays - but the preparations for them as well-  they have a much better understanding of the holidays than they would have had if they hadn't been here.

As for more formal school type work - well I plan for that too.  I would never start something I knew we couldn't finish just before the holidays.  I also got books to read that tied into our school subjects so we could read during the holidays.  For example, we read a wonderful book about Rashi - who lived in France in the 11th Century and taught us a lot about the persecution of the Jews during this time period.  So what we were learning before is still kept in their mind.

So today we are able to move forward into a more "normal" schedule and not feel rushed or overwhelmed -just ready to continue right where we left off.