Rabbi Sidney S. Guthman, 33°
6224 Riviera Circle, Long Beach, California 90815

The celebration of Hanukkah reminds us that spiritual
might is the strongest force in the world.

The festival of Hanukkah commemorates the successful struggle for religious liberty led by the priest Mattahis and, later, by his son, the brave Judas Maccabeus, against the Syrian oppressors of the Jews in the year 167 BCE. That effort culminated in a great victory for the Jewish people and in the recapture of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple was cleansed and rededicated to the service of God, and lights were rekindled in the Temple's sanctuary.

The festival is known in Hebrew as Hanukkah, which literally means dedication. It is also called the "Feast of Lights" because the Hanukkah candles are lit on each of eight successive nights in commemoration of the miracle that occurred when the Maccabees rededicated the Temple. When they relit the Menorah, there was only enough sacred oil to burn for one day. Yet, according to tradition, the oil miraculously lasted eight days until more purified oil could be found.

We are thankful that most Jews are no longer faced with physical oppression as in centuries past, although spiritual oppression and assimilation are still entirely too real. Anti-Semitism is a reminder we must be alert to any resurgence of intolerance and that we need to celebrate the past in religious ways to create the spiritual foundations of the future.

Judaism attained distinction because of its intellectual and spiritual contributions to universal culture. In the modern world, Judaism retains its uniqueness because of the devotion of those who understand, in the words of the prophet Zachariah, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of Hosts" (4:6).

Sidney S. Guthman is a past member of the Civil Service Commission of Long Beach, California. He is the former Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of California. Recently, the Long Beach Veterans Administration Medical Center awarded him a special merit citation for his work as Chaplain, and he is Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Sholom, Leisure World, California. A longtime member of the Long Beach Scottish Rite Bodies and Chaplain of Al Malaikah Shrine Temple, Rabbi Guthman was recently appointed Chaplain of the Long Beach Police Department, the first time a Rabbi had been so honored.