The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-20
CELEBRATION OF
FEAST OF LIGHTS
Members of Congregation Beth 81 vii
Observe Festival with Services
and Entertainments.

FL, both young and old. win celebrate
the Feast Of Lights with several en-
tertainments and special services and
observances. Anticipatory to the fes-
tival the Junior congregation will have
an elaborate and entertaing Chanukah
party at the home of Max Heinberg.
Jr., one of the members. The eve
ming will be spent in good Chanukah
fashion, with many games suited to
the occasion, toasts, recitations and
other forms of entertainment, Rabbi
Freund will deliver the chief toast.
Friday night, Dec %. DIR. Freund
will speak on "A Little Light"
sermon depicting the struggle of the
Meccabeans for the preservation OF
Judaism, and the lesson that me-
morable historical event has for the
modern Jew.
A real festivity will be the enter
tainment at the Progress club on
Sunday night, Dec. %. The children
Of the religious school of the temple
viii present a one-act play, Pictures
Out of the Past" followed Ly another
one-act play, sorority" by the junior
congregation. The evening will close
with refreshments for the children,
Friday, Dec. 80, DR.. E'reund will
again take up the events of the fes-
tival in his sermon, With Meccabees
or Antiochus." During this service
Chanukah lights win be kindled in the
temple, followed by the congregation
singing Rock of Ages" a Chanukah
hymn.
The festival will close with a one
day vacation from the religious school
Sunday, Jan. /.
Chanukah, a minor festival of the
Synagog, sometimes called the Feast
IF Lights, will be observed in Jewish
circles beginning Sunday evening, Dee.
%, and for eight days thereafter,
With the Feast of Lights there is
coupled an historical event. the Nee
cabean revolt which proved to be Of
supreme national Importance to the
people of Israel.
The years 1913 to 165 3. c. E, were
eventful in Palestine, even epochal
In those stirring years Antiochus Epi-
ohanes. king of Syria, ambitious to
mite all provinces of his domain into
one nation, resorted to the crude meth
I'd of compelling all his subject peoples
TO use one language and worship in
one established and certified religious
ceremonial, namely, the polytheistic
ituaIism of his model. the Greeks.
The enforcement of this royal decree
vas mandatory on all peoples, includ-
ing the Jews. The temple of Jerusa-
lem was def1led by the erection of al
tars where idols were worshipped and
7reek religious practices introduced
net only hostile to the sensibilities of
he Jewish people but regarded by
them as denominations which had been
lprooted from their religion many cen
.uries before the Syrian tyrant plotted
o restore them.
The enforcement of these idolatrous
eeremonials, coupled with intense OPP
preston, terminated hatred in the
carts of the Jewish people of Pales-
inc which burst into a revolt and in
5tantly led to war against the mad
7espot OF Syria.
This instruction was instigated by
dattathias, a priest Of Modin, who rail-
led his eountrymen around him and
efied the king ef Syria to force them
bend the knee before an image
made by man instead Ct the one and
My Creator who made heaven and
earth.
Sustained by his son Judah, called
he Meccabee, and his four heroic
brothers, the mighty armies of Syria
we're defeated after successive cam
,aigns covering period of four years.
The final victory of the Mecca bean
rmies over all the hosts of Syria hap
3ened. according TO the Hebrew calen-
ar. on the 25th Of Kislev, which cor
'esponds to the month of December,
n the year 165 3. c. +. On this event
nj day the various images and ritual
,araphernaIia brought into the temple
Jerusalem were removed and the
ltar rededfcated to the worship Of
he God Of Israel, who is the symbol
truth ana justice. love and mercy.
Many legends have been preserved
post biblical literature concerning
chanukah. The martyrdom OF Ham
ali and her seven sons is the most
OCULAR, This story relates the hero
SIN Of a devoted mother who. rather
han submit to the deflements Of
agan worship on the part Of he. sons
; nj herself, is finally put to death to-
ether with her sons.
All stories, however, recount the
,yalty of the people OF Israel to their
eligious heritage and awaken in the
carts Of their modern descendants a
Consciousness of the ultimate triumph
righteousness over the aggression
f tyranny and might That man does
OF prevail by the exercise of might
ut by the spirit of God working for
tstice and fair play is the keynote
s. the feast as celebrated today in
awish homes and schools and syna-
roug