Course explores military history leading to Hanukkah

Interfaith course explores miraculous military history leading to Hanukkah

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley is presenting an interfaith course series exploring the miraculous military history of the war between the Syrian Greeks and the Jews over 2,200 years ago leading to the Jewish holiday called Hanukkah.  

What led up to this war and why was it so important for the history of Judaism and Christianity will be discussed during the “Hanukkah: The Class Between Greeks and Jews” during the three-part, four-hour classes to be led by Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan in December.  

The course will enable Jews and Christians to look at the Maccabean war and analyze what were the values of the opposing sides as well as what were the consequences of the Maccabean victory. 

Classes will be from 10-11:30 a.m. Dec. 5 and 12, and 10-11 a.m. Dec. 19 at the Temple, 12202 N. 101st Ave. in Sun City. Registration deadline is noon Dec. 2. Cost is $20 for Temple members and $35 for non-members. A book of four coupons for TBS members is $65 and a book of four coupons for non-members is $120. Call the Temple office at 623.977.3240 to register between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

“Hellenistic Judaism was a form of Judaism in classical antiquity that combined Jewish religious tradition with elements of Greek culture. Most Jews embraced Hellenistic culture and combined it with their Jewish religion,” Rabbi Kaplan said. 

“But many felt that it was a threat to the continued existence of the Jewish people. The conflict between those who embraced Hellenism and those who rejected Hellenism broke out in the second century BCE in what we now know as the Maccabean war,” he explained.

For more information, go to tbsaz.org.