SARASOTA – Senior Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El Rabbi Brenner Glickman says the eight day Jewish celebration commemorates the Maccabean Revolt that led to thousands of Jews to freely practice their religion without persecution.
“Hanukkah is not among the most important Jewish holidays but it is among the sweetest, said Rabbi Glickman. “The history is about religious freedom and sudden miracles.”
Rabbi Glickman says King Antiochus outlawed Judaism and ordered Jews to worship Greek Gods, but a group of rebels has allowed for Hanukkah celebrations to take place today.
“A small band of Jewish rebels rose up to say we believe in our ways in our ways, in our heritage and our history and they triumph and that was over 2,000 years ago,” he explained.
Rabbi Glickman says everyone celebrates the holiday differently. From celebrating at Temple with your community or at home with friends and loved ones.
“Some holidays are important or deeply meaningful Hanukkah is just happy, so when the time comes it’s with family, it’s with friends it’s just among the most joyful holidays throughout the year,” said Rabbi Glickman.
And the holiday wouldn’t be complete without a little Hanukkah miracle.
“Not every miracle is as grand as grand as the parting of the waters in front of hundreds of thousands of people,” said Rabbi Glickman. “Sometimes miracles in life are delicate and small and intimate and the Hanukkah miracle is just that.”
Hanukkah begins Sunday December 22nd at sundown and ends on the 30th.
