We all know the story of Chanukah...
When the Maccabees ousted Antiochus’ troops they found only one cruse of untainted oil, but a miracle happened & the small quantity burned for 8 days. As a direct result of that miracle, Chanukah is celebrated for 8 days with candle lighting, playing dreidel and eating potato pancakes and jelly donuts. All are reminders of the miracle of the oil. Did it really happen that way? What if the story is more complex? What if the only religious freedom the Maccabees wanted was their own version of Judaism? Suppose their view of Judaism was the only one they deemed authentic? Is there an authentic Judaism? If so, what is it and who can make that claim of legitimacy? Is Chanukah simply the Jewish Christmas? Does the real story of Chanukah instill courtesy, tolerance, love of mankind and joy to the world? Does it matter if it does not?
Join us as we explore all these questions, as well as why the story of Chanukah has changed over the centuries and how we came to celebrate the Festival of Lights the way we do today.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/94277465842?pwd=OEVsVHRHeWMyWDhHT1VoLzZtQjdWZz09
Meeting ID: 942 7746 5842
Passcode: village
Jerry Rishe earned a B.A. degree in Political Science from CSUN where he won numerous awards in intercollegiate forensic competition. He later earned a J.D. from Whittier Law School. In the private sector he worked as in-house counsel at First Charter Financial Corporation (holding company for American Savings), the J.G. Boswell Company (the largest privately owned cotton grower in the world), and Saint John’s Hospital and Health Center in Santa Monica. For the last half of his 32 year legal career he was a trial attorney with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (later the Department of Homeland Security) where he represented the United States in enforcement of the Immigration and Nationality Act, defended the Service and Department against charges in employment matters and was honored by being named Employee of the Year. He is now enjoying retirement as President of SAGE, a life-long learning organization, as part of the Dean’s Council of the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication at CSUN, and as a docent for the Autry National Center of the American West.
