HANUKKAH

By Simon Fischler

Hanukkah was the first recorded act of Zionism by the Jewish Nation. 

Guess what, this act of Jewish Heroism happened long before Mohammad was born and the religion of not-so-much peace came into being. 

We had lost our great kingdoms and had been invaded by the Assyrians. 

Now oppressed by the Seleucid King Antiochus, we were forced to except a culture and religion that greatly contradicted the culture and traditions of the Jewish nation.

Our people, the Hebrews, Israelites or JEWS, under the leadership of the pragmatic fighters called the Maccabees rose up in OUR land, that is Israel, and defeated the imperialistic EUROPEAN client state run by the Seleucid Empire.

This piece of history is so very important for the Jewish Nation because it marks the first of many times throughout our history that the Jews have fought for their freedom and self-determination (this is what Zionism stands for) in Israel.

Hanukkah is testament to how long the Jews have been fighting to keep their little piece of land.

After losing our Kingdoms, it was the Maccabee revolt that restored Jewish government to Israel in 140 BCE. 

This festival is also a reminder that we, the JEWS, have fought for our independence long before most other nations were even born.

During Hanukkah we remember our victory over an oppressive regime that did all it could to erase the laws and culture given to our nation.

The Jews and their nation state Israel are still faced with many of the same problems that faced the Maccabees in their time!

Today our King Antiochus has many names, the Boycott Divest and Sanction movement, Hamas, Qatar, Turkey, UNWRA and the United Nations itself.

The President of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement promises the destruction of the Jewish Nation; he calls for wiping Israel off of the world map. 

Barghoutti and his cohorts have been calling for genocide against the Jewish Nation. As have many others.  

While working with fascist clients around the world this new assault and these new weapons are to be used against the civilian population of Israel.

Today's fight is against the racist anti-Semites who wish to delegitimize Israel and rob the Jewish Nation of its freedom through crooked diplomacy, incitement and downright lies.

Hanukkah is a lesson for Israel’s enemies.

For all those who seek to destroy Israel and the Jewish Nation, either with warfare or diplomacy, you would be wise to remember the story of Hanukkah. 

Hanukkah is one example of how the greatest empires -- from the Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Arab Muslims, Nazi’s and Arab Nationalist -- have all attempted to steal our land and rob the history books of our place. 

The Romans went so far as to change the name of Judah to Palestina, from where the colonialist name Palestine comes from. After burning Jerusalem to the ground they changed its name to Aelia Capitolina. 

What is so important this is that we the Jewish Nation may have lost our freedom in our land for portions of time.

We have been oppressed in our land, but we have always, eventually fought back and regained our freedom and self-determination in our land.

We must always remember this part of Hanukkah.

HAPPY HANUKKAH.