A Brief history of Israel in honor of Chanukah—
Stage 1 ( Lasting 300 years)-12 tribes conquered Canaan and it becomes known as Israel.
Stage 2 (Lasting 200 years)-Civil war and schism between the Northern 10 and the Southern 2 Tribes. North becomes known as Israel and South becomes known as Judah.
Stage 3 (long time)- Northern region is destroyed and the term ‘10 Lost Tribes’ originates. Only the South remains. Region remains called Judah.
Stage 4- (1,870 years ago) Wandering Jews live without a national homeland as guests in other lands throughout the world. Our homeland is called Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) but the people are called Judahites or Jews because of the South’s name.
Stage 5 –(1948) After almost 19 centuries the land is ours but the name Israel is restored, symbolically harkening back to the original time of all the tribes being united. The name of Israel tells a story and conveys a message of hoped-for unity.
Tonight we light 5 candles and we remember Chanukah’s origination in ancient Judah. What began as a local holiday commemorating local independence has become transformed into an international holiday celebrating spiritual freedom. What began as a holiday demonstrating Jewish refusal to assimilate now offers us a message of pride in our unique identity. What began as a specifically Jewish holiday now represents aspirations of many diverse peoples, all of whom desire to live freely and celebrating religious liberty.
Stand in pride with Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East; a modern nation offering much to the entire world!
Happy Chanukah!
Rabbi Steve Silberman
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