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Hasmoneans vs. Seleucids
(The
Story of Chanukah) Mini Unit Study
December is a time of
holidays and celebration for many of us. As we wind down our studies
for the season, it is often nice to incorporate a look at the history
behind some of the holidays that are celebrated this month. In this
issue, we'll look at the "other" December holiday.
While Chanukah is a religious holiday for Jews that invokes images
of menorahs, dreidels and latkes, the story behind Chanukah is rooted
in the ancient history of the battle between the Seleucids of the
Kingdom of Syria and the Jewish Hasmonean family for control of
Judea in the second century B.C.E.
After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C.E., Alexander’s
generals divided up the Macedonian Empire, which included Judea,
between them. Seleucus I gained control of Mesopotamia and Persia,
and Ptolemy I ruled Egypt. A few years later, Ptolemy I annexed
Judea, where it remained under Ptolemaic rule until it was taken
by the armies of the Seleucid King Antiochus III in 198 B.C.E.
In 169 B.C.E. Antiochus IV banned the religion and practices of
Judaism and ordered that an image of Zeus be placed in the temple
at Jerusalem, amongst other things. A group called the Hasmoneans
(also known as the Maccabees) began a revolt that ended in the defeat
of Antiochus’s military, the liberation of Jerusalem, and
a period of brief independence for Judea. The word “Chanukah”
means “dedication” in Hebrew, and the Jewish celebration
is named in memory of the cleansing and dedication of the temple
in Jerusalem.
In this mini unit study you can: read articles about the history
of the Hasmoneans, examine the origins behind current day Chanukah
customs and a take a look at children’s Chanukah stories,
examine a map of the Macedonian Empire after Alexander’s death,
study timelines of the Seleucid Empire and Judea, read the Biblical
account of the story in the books of Maccabee, print Chanukah pages
to color, listen to a reenactment of the story, make a dreidel to
play with at home and choose from a variety of delicious recipes
for traditional Chanukah fare.
Reading
Read
more about the Hasmonean revolt against Antiochus IV.
The
history behind some of the well known Chanukah traditions.
See
what children have to say about Chanukah.
Timelines
and Maps
Timelines of the Seleucid Empire and Judea.
http://www.kesslerweb.co.uk/History/KingListsMiddEast/SyriaSeleucids.htm
http://www.kesslerweb.co.uk/History/KingListsMiddEast/CanaanIsraelites.htm
Map
of the Macedonian Empire after Alexander the Great's death
Multimedia
Listen
to an audio reenactment of the Chanukah story (20+ mins.)
Primary
Sources
Read the stories in the Biblical books of the Maccabees. (Note:
These books are included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles, some Protestant
Bibles as the "Apocrypha" and are not found in the Hebrew
Bible.
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/Kjv1Mac.html
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/Kjv2Mac.html
Projects
Color Chanukah pictures.
http://www.lil-fingers.com/coloring/hanukkah.html
Make
yummy jelly donuts and potato latkes
Make
a dreidel to play at home
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/hanukkah/dreidel/
Recommended
Resource
There's No Such Thing As a Chanukah Bush, Sandy Goldstein
This is a wonderful story for ages 7 and up about understanding
and respecting the differences between different religious traditions
and customs. Robin wants a Christmas tree, even though she’s
Jewish. Her best friend Heather, a Christian, has one. So does her
Jewish schoolmate, Sandy, who calls it a Chanukah bush. Robin feels
very left out.
She attends a Christmas party with her grandfather and at first
doesn't understand why she can go to a party, but not have her own
tree. Her grandfather helps her understand that it is okay to help
people celebrate something they believe in, but that this is different
than the way you celebrate something you believe in.
Book (Paperback)
Authors: Susan Sussman, Charles Robinson
Amazon Price: $3.50
Read
more about the book on Amazon
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