Giving Thanks

Shalom and welcome to the Internet. In the real world we have had some nice events in Hobo-town and had some giving thanks as well. In fact this last Saturday night people came over to smoke hookah in the land named by the Lenape Indians “Hopoghan Hackingh”, land of the tobacco pipe, which became bastardized as Hoboken as the theory goes). We have also started reaching out to two local rabbi's and I'm thinking of getting my street smicha recognized by the Rabbanite of Hudson county. You see like Malcolm X my Yeshiva was the street.

All joking aside this time of year makes me reflect on my life and where we have come as a nation. Its been a while since I really believed we were welcomed by the Native Americans but the fact that we took the land does not affect the current meaning of the secular chag. Soon it will be Hanukkah and we will celebrated the miracle of lights but honestly I do not see the point of it. My problem isn't with candles or with oil but rather with the message of revanchism. The Maccabees seem to me to be extremists who killed their fellows Jews in their fight against Hellenistic assimilation. While they were rightfully protesting the corruption of the temple and desired a return to what they believed were more moral, pure, and Jewish times they themselves were corrupt. The very first thing they when taking power was taking the kingship and the office of the high priest, the chief political and religion authorities, which is specifically prohibited in the Torah. More over with in two generations of Maccabeen rule was just as corrupt and Hellenised as those they had overthrown. So what is the message of Hanukkah - fight modernity? Do not support change? Keep things the same at all cost? Even if it means violating those same values?

I celebrate it but I just don't get it.