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DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE

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200-Year-Old Menorah

Detroit Jewish Chronicle

Published Weekly by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
WOodward 1-1040
900 Lawyers' Building, Detroit 26, Michigan

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Entered as Second-class matter March 3, 1916, at the Post Office at
Detroit, Mich., under the Act of March 3, 1879

Friday, December 1, 1950

Caster Tells
Semi-Holiday
Lore, History

By GlItHARDT NEUMANN

PURIM AND IIANUKKAII
IN CUSTOM AND TRADI-
TION by Theodor II. Gaster
(Henry Schuman, New York,
134 pp., $2.50).

SEYMOUR TILCIIIN
Publisher
GERHARDT NEUMANN
NORMAN KOLIN
Editor
Advertising , Manager
Kislev 22, 5711
Friday, December 1, 1950

Many of our readers probably
have seen Prof. Gaster's book on
Passover which has become a
standard work in its field. Caster
critically analyzes the contents
of our festivals and yet, at the
A Guest Editorial
same time, introduces the reader
By RABBI LEON FRAM
to
the spirit and time-honored
Temple Israel
values of these festivals.
Feast of Hanukkah commemorates the victorious strug-
The
The book on Passover is now
gle of the people of Judea against an imperial power. The
followed by a book on Purim
Seleucid empire, within whose boundaries Judea lay, wanted to
and Hanukkah. No one will read
impose its culture and religion upon the Jewish people. Some
it without a measure of gratitude
Jews were attracted by the brilliant trappings of the conquering
for the wealth of material and
power with its pseudo-Greek culture. They surrendered gladly.
careful explanation of history
They called themselves Hellenists. The majority resisted. It was,
war of defense.
and customs from all possible
as
a
civil
war
as
well
therefore, a
angles.
The issues in that ancient little war were the same as the
To start with Hanukkah, ap-
issues of the recent World War. They were:
a
propriately, Gaster seems to have
Freedom versus slavery. The state of Judea enjoyed
1.
adopted to a large degree the
democratic form of society which had room for no mercenaries
theory of E. Bickerman that the
Hanukkah (Dec. 4-11), which celebrates the Maccabees' victory
or slaves. It was in this sense superior to the Empire which
Maccabees were not only rebels
more than 2,000 years ago, is symbolized by this 18th century
sought to dominate it. Greek society, despite its progress in the
against the Syrian yoke but also
silver Menorah from the collection of the Museum of the Hebrew
arts, in philosophy, and in science, never rose above the institu-
a clerical party which fought
Union College in Cincinnati. The Menorah, probably made in
tion of slavery. Eighty per cent of the population of Athens were
foundation
Eastern Europe, is adorned in rich baroque style. One of the
against the assimilationists.
slaves. The renowned Athenian Republic rested on a
"Mattathias' movement," Gas-
largest menorahs known, it stands 30 inches high and 24 inches
of human bondage. The Seleucid empire, which was one of the
ter writes, "turned into a crusade
wide.
heirs of Athenian civilization or Ilellenism, was even more
against apostate Jews: his follow .-
emphatically a slave society.
ers, into a band of vigilantes bent
The people of Judea fought for the right to maintain un-
upon restoring the traditional
molested their own free society. The Jewish Hellenists were
pattern, if need be, by main
mainly scions of aristocratic families who were quite willing to
force."
experiment with slavery.
Gaster also emphasizes that
The issue of freedom versus slavery was also the central
Hanukkah is not so much a
issue of the Second World War. Imperialism took on the new
festival of liberation, as it was
form of Nazism and sought to enslave the human race. That the
ren; wherever they expect him he usually interpreted in the past,
Nazis selected the Jews as their first victims demonstrates the
By ALFRED SEGAL
as the feast of dedication—the re-
Nazi awareness of the fact that the Hanukkah tradition had
CHILDHOOD times I am comes to their houses and fills
their stockings full. "But what dedication of the Temple in 165
rendered the Jewish people the most sensitive champions of
an old friend of Santa Claus. of my good old friend, the Mac- B.C. But he adds that Hanuk-
human freedom.
I met him at the age of six in cabaeus? He is another one of kah, in its deeper meaning, cele-
God
versus
idols.
Athenian
philosophers
did
achieve
the
2.
t he Eighth District School. That the heroes of good will in the brates ''the inalienable right of
intellectual concept of One God, but Athenian society never rid
day he came
world." Santa related an incident. human beings to their own char-
itself of idol worship. The Seleucids indulged that most offensive
i nto our room
One night when Christmas fell acter and identity."
form of idolatry: emperor worship. Antiochus, the emperor,
l ike a burst of
The outstanding customs of the
had
a
practical
stake
in
such
at
the same time as Hanukkah,
wanted to be revered as a god. He
kindling of the
unlight, with a
s
festival—the
Santa Claus happened to drop
a religion. He believed that the population of the empire could
Menorah
lights—remains,
his-
s ack on his back
into a Jewish house that was
best be united and its loyalty best be guaranteed by the deifica-
torically speaking, shrouded in
f rom which he
waiting
for
him.
The
kids'
stock-
tion of the emperor.
handed me a
ings were hanging from the mystery. Caster offers as the
Later in history, the Caesars had the same idea, and the
most plausible theory that the
l ong stick of
mantel-piece behind a gorgeous
new Christian religion joined the mother Jewish religion in
Hanukkah lamps were borrowed
p eppermint
Christmas
tree.
After
he
had
resisting it. In the year 165 B.C.E. the Jews were the only people
candy.
a from the torches at the Greek
filled
all
the
stockings
and
left
in the world to be willing to fight and die rather than worship
festival of the rural Dionysia.
I came home
heap of gifts at the foot of the
the head of the government as a diety. The worship of the
The lighting of the Hanukkah
l ater that after-
tree, he thought he should leave
emperor was stultifying. It was another aspect of slavery. The
lamps would, therefore, express
noon in raptur-
note
for
the
family.
He
pinned
a
same issue was fought out in the second World War. The Nazis
protest against pagan ceremony,
o u s excitement. Segal
it on the tree and this is w hat a
deified Hitler; the Fascists, Mussolini, and the Japanese militar-
a parody of the heathen celebra-
.. "I saw Santa Claus and he he wrote:
ists, their emperor. The cause of democracy has become essen-
tion. However, no proof of this
gave me some candy and he said
"Dear Jewish family: Thanks or any other theory can be given.
tially a religious cause. The West fought for the right to believe
he was coming to our house, too,
ever so much for the friendly
in God as above all human powers and governments.
While Hanukkah undoubtedly
soon."
reception you have given me.
The Maccabean leaders of the Jewish people began this
My parents couldn't share my You arc people after my own commemorates a historic a 11 y
struggle for religious freedom which has never since ceased.
joyous anticipations. It was heart, people who love kindness genuine event, Purim is the child
The cause has won many victories but it has needed to be fought
of legend and tales. Gaster, like
heresy. Was this a way for a and live by it.
for anew in every generation. The first freedom won by the
other biblical scholars, shows
Jewish boy to be talking? There
"But, my dear good friends, that the Megillah consists of two
American colonists was religious liberty. It is the first right
wasn't any Santa Claus, they
OA' is Hanukkah, too, and I distinct stories, linked together
mentioned in our Bill of Rights. Religious freedom is, in fact,
said. For Jewish boys there was
the source of all other rights and liberties. Religion enjoys a
Elijah. Didn't I remember open- should like to have seen some by making one the prelude to the
revival whenever democracy needs to be defended, because
ing the front door for him at evidence of good will for my old other. One is the story of Vashti,
associate, Judas Maccabaeus, in the other the story of Esther.
people readily see that a religion both vital and free, is essential
Seder?
your house.
Originally of Persian inven-
to the preservation of human rights.
I haven't lost my faith in Santa
There is, therefore, poetic justice in the fact that Hanukkah
"I am grateful to be in your tion, these stories were later
pieces
I
In
Claus ever since.
adopted by the Jews and retold
occurs in the same month and sometimes on the same day as
write for the daily press I assert house this night but why don't
Jewish coloration. His-
the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, and the anniversary of the
the reality of Santa Claus every you let your own Maccabaeus in with a
also? Please make over him, too. torically, however, there was no
Bill of Rights. They belong together, for Pearl Harbor precipitat-
Christmas time.
great hero for Haman or Mordecai, nor do the
ed the same struggle for human rights as is celebrated by
It is our old friendship that He could be a
your children. Sincerely yours, records bear out any persecution
Ilanukkah.
causes him to occasionally to
of the Jews at the time of Aha-
It is equally a significant coincidence that Hanukkah occurs
drop into my living room when Santa Claus." •
suerus.
in the same month and sometimes on the same day as Christmas.
I am alone. Only recently I was
"YES," SANTA said, ''Judas
Caster believes that Purim may
If the Maccabeans had not achieved Hanukkah, there would
saying to him: "The world is
hero as originally have been the Persian
be
a
Maccabaeus
could
raising up more and more sol-
have been no Christmas.
The Jewish people would have been enslaved or exter-
diers. What I am proposing is an cherished as I am in many Jew- New Year festival held at the
minated, the books of the Torah and the Bible would have been
army of Santa Clauses to con- ish homes. You spoke of an army time of the vernal equinox. When
the Jews of Persia took it over,
burned, the belief in the holiness of God and the dignity of
quer the world for brotherhood. of Santa Clauses conquering the
they did what has always been
world
for
loving
kindness.
I
man would have disappeared. There would have been no Jewish
Santa Clauses marching all
people to produce Jesus and no Judaism to produce Christianity.
around the world capturing cities should like to march for that with done in such cases: they re-
Hanukkah is the father of Christmas as Judaism is the
for the sake of loving-kindness." an army of Maccabeans. Judas modeled borrowed customs ac-
Maccabaeus and I marching to- cording to their own needs and
• • •
mother of Christianity. It required a Judeo-Christian tradition
DURING MY LONG acquaint- gether at the head of the two ideas, in the same way as Easter
of democracy to overcome Nazism. The same tradition will meet
ance with him I have found Santa armies conquering the world for and Christmas become Christian
the challenge of any other menace to human freedom.
Claus to be no sectarian. He kindness and the justice that is festivals.
The similarity of Purim and
regarded himself as another the essence of good will."
Santa said he had dropped in Carnival is apparent but, of
child of the one God expressing
on me that evening for the pur- course, a later addition. Gaster
God's love.
It seems rather strange to read the reports on the new trial
Now he was saying: "Yes, pose of enlisting me in behalf of points out that even in their
of Ilse Koch, notorious sadist from Buchenwald, who used to
there are others who 'are of my the Maccabaeus at this season. ghettos Jews did not live in
make lampshades out of the skin of her prisoners.
kind. Since we are speaking of "You are read by a lot of people splendid isolation but were in-
Now she avers that she knew nothing, did nothing and saw
heroes, what's the matter with and you may persuade them to fluenced by their environment.
nothing. As far as she is concerned, there is no reason to prose-
Judas Maccabaeus?" Santa Claus give him a break, too. You might The carnival customs of Europe
spoke regretfully of the fact that say he is like George Washing- seemed to fit so perfectly into the
cute her.
Shadows of the past are being conjured up in these dark
while he himself is received well ton, Jefferson and Lincoln and spirit of Purim that their adop-
days of great decisions which will determine the future of man-
in many a Jewish home, Judas with all modesty, I say it, he's tion was inevitable.
What gives such customs their
Maccabaeus doesn't get the re- another Santa Claus."
kind. Is there ai1y hope for a mankind so hopelessly enmeshed
I dropped a suggestion: "Sup- seeming variety, Gaster says, "is
ception that's coming to him.
in cruelty and barbarism?
"My Christmas and his Hanuk- pose, Santa Claus, you went on the fact that each group accom-
Ilse Koch was just a cog in this senseless machine of de-
kah come about the same time strike. That is to say, you would modates them to its own peculiar
struction but she is symbolic of the dark forces which threaten
but I get more breaks in Jewish refuse to enter any Jewish home tradition, secs them through the
to dissect mankind without mercy. This is no time for soft-
homes at this season than he that didn't take in the Macca- prism of its own experience,
heartedness. Unless we fight back, in the name of Judaism and
baeus also. That would fix 'em." clothes them in its own native
does."
perish.
in the name of humanity, we will
"No, no," Santa Claus replied. costume, and molds them nearer
Santa Claus said he didn't dis-
Our Hanukkah story should teach us that if we take heart
to its own heart's desire."
criminate against Jewish child- "I couldn't let the kids down."
will
emerge
as
victors.
we

Hanukkah's Universal Meaning

Santa Drops a Hint
on Judas Maccabeus

F ROM

Shadows of the Past