What does Khanukah mean to you, today??

[johnd]

My Jewish Doctor said, "It's a children's holiday. Akin to Xmas for swapping gifts."

 

[simchat_torah]

Shows how ignorant the doctor is.

 

[johnd]

I actually think he's a secular Jew who keeps the traditional holidays etc, but is agnostic / atheist. Not certain.

 

[Talmidah]

My Jewish Doctor said, "It's a children's holiday. Akin to Xmas for swapping gifts."

That is really sad.

 

[johnd]

That is really sad.

Yes it is. He's a good man and a gifted physician. I pray for him. But I am aware enough to know I would not be to him a credible witness. I pray for him one who is will enter his life soon. (which is what praying in Jesus' name is all about)

 

[ShirChadash]

Talmidah, (and anyone who has young children) Aish.com has Chanukah songs for children and family in MP3 files, so we can listen to them online. I was looking for some, as I don't have any music for the songs here so we couldn't sing last night, and it was nice to find these:

http://www.aish.com/holidays/Chanukah/songfest.asp#4

aish.com has much more on Chanukah as well. Just wanted to share the link. Hope that's helpful to someone.

Zem

 

[ShirChadash]

Hi guys,
An interesting prophetic parallel has just occurred to me regarding the 8 days of Hannukah. Please correct me if I'm way off.

1 - G-d said let there be light
2 - G-d appointed Abraham's seed to be light upon the world
3 - G-d made the light of his Word (Torah) shine in the desert through Moshe
4 - G-d sent Yeshua, His Son, light of the world
5 - Yeshua tells his followers to be light to Israel and all nations
6 - Ruach HaKodesh is sent as a light to the body of Messiah
7 - Israel shall come to believe in Yeshua and fullfill its mission of being light
8 - Messiah, the light of the world, shall come again and there shall be no
more darkness

So, on each day we can celebrate one of the prophetic events above.

In Mashiach,
Ben Tsion

I just wanted to thank you for adding this post to the thread. I think this is a really nice way to focus on the *light* of our G-d!

 

[Talmidah]

Talmidah, (and anyone who has young children) Aish.com has Chanukah songs for children and family in MP3 files, so we can listen to them online. I was looking for some, as I don't have any music for the songs here so we couldn't sing last night, and it was nice to find these:

http://www.aish.com/holidays/Chanukah/songfest.asp#4

aish.com has much more on Chanukah as well. Just wanted to share the link. Hope that's helpful to someone.

Zem

Yes!! We love that site. What I did was save the songs to a folder, along with some other ones I found while doing searches. Then in the Windows Media Player, I added them all to a playlist and set it to repeat. The children told the stories and played dreidle with the songs in the background.

Thank you for posting the link, Zemirah. aish.com also has lots of interesting articles, information, and audio presentations about a wide variety of topics.

 

[simchat_torah]

www.torahtots.com



my wife loves that site.

 

[koilias]

What does Hanukah mean to me?

*sigh* Jews hate Xmas, Gentiles don't know what Hanuka is about at all. Jew vs. Greek, always hating each other, never the twain seem to agree anything or find a way to live with each other...That's what Hanuka means to me...Well, for the sake of my family, I observe Xmas, for the sake of reconciliation, I light candles to remind me of the light that Jews brought into my life. And Hanuka, well Hanuka, how can I explain???

Perhaps I should recount here about one occasion in my life, were I encountered the love of HaShem in a more direct and amazing way than I've ever had. I never was so moved in my life. I never encountered the REALITY that HaShem cares deeply for me and my gentile kin in that way ever. I was moved to tears standing in the ruins of Alexandria Troas on the Turkish coast of the Aegean, just a few miles from ancient Troy. The waves there lap on the strewn columns of this ancient harbor, at the time when Paul visited Troas, it was the largest embarkation point for travellers leaving Asia to cross over into Europe, now it is nothing but ruins on a Turkish beach. Staring over the sea, in the distance, I beheld the Greek islands, and beyond there I knew was Philippi, were Paul baptized his first convert on European soil.

Josephus wrote that the Macedonian general, Alexander the Great, spared the temple and refused to besiege Yerushalayim, even though he had the full intention to level the city to dust--the main reason being that the Jews, in distinction to the peoples around them, refused to surrender to the Macedonian and had remained steadfastly loyal to the Persians even after Alexander had sacked Tyre and Sidon. So Alexander's generals and allied kings were full of surprise when Alexander, upon laying eyes on the Jewish high priest as he was approaching Yerushalayim, rushed to embrace the Jewish priest. Supposing Alexander had suddenly become disordered in his mind, one of his generals queried him about the surprisingly friendly greeting. Alexander responded: "When I was in Dios in Macedonia, debating whether or not to cross over into Asia and engage the Persians in battle, I had a dream at night, and I SAW THIS MAN, IN THESE VERY ROBES and habit, who beckoned me: 'Come over into Asia, for the LORD Most High will surely deliver the Persians into your hands!' " So, Alexander left Yerushalayim in peace and, after giving thank offerings to HaShem in the temple, wasted no more time in continuing on to Egypt.

Well, if you've have ever had doubts that HaShem is the mover of history, and has an amazing interest and concern for all humanity, you of course know the story of Paul's vision when he was tarrying in Alexandria Troas, when he saw a MACEDONIAN man at night beckoning him to cross over into Macedonia in order to bring the light of Yeshua to the European peoples.

Like Achilles before him, who conquered Troy, Alexander the Great crossed over the Dardanelles after receiving a vision of the Jewish high priest. In a stream just a few miles from Troy, outnumbered 10 to 1 and without a calvary, the Macedonians slaughtered the Persians and garnered their first victory on Asian soil...The Greek army then crosses over to Sardis in Lydia and there Alexander "unties" the famous Lydian Knot, of which was prophesied that whoever would untie that knot would become king over the entire earth...The Greeks hence continue marching, and you know the rest: Alexander, the Greek, changes the East forever.

Seemingly for no rhyme or reason, the Holy Spirit prevents Paul from preaching in Asia and directs him instead to the port of Troas, where he receives his "Macedonian call". He crosses hence into Asia, and there in a Macedonian stream he baptizes Lydia, a merchant of purple cloths, the robes which symbolize royalty...and you know the rest: Paul, the Jew, changes the West forever.

touche.

May the Jews continue to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. That, my Jewish friends, is what Hanuka should be all about.

 

[Henaynei]

I know of not one Jew who "hates Xmas." Not one. Keep it, well, no, but hate it, well again, no. Actually quite a number have a khanukah bush each year!
I don't know of one Jew who is uncomfortable with Christmas displays or Nativity scenes on the lawns (how could they - once a year every Christian in town puts statues of prominant Jews all over their homes and communities, they send pictures of well known Jews to each other as greeting cards.....). It is atheists and humanists (some of which are Jewish, true) that hate Christmas, not the Jew. Even most secular Jews have no problem with Christmas.

 

[simchat_torah]

How very true Henaynei.

 

[sojeru]

its only that Judah's Maccabees do not light up trees.
i wonder if anyone will understand this pun. lol