Rant #3,845: I Can See For Miles

As you are reading this, I am having my eye procedure to correct a partially detached retina.

Please wish me well.

I guess you can say that this is my Hanukkah gift to myself, to be able to see "The Festival of Lights" as clearly as possible.

I will probably be in and out of the Rant this week, as my eye heals, so I don't know if I will have five days of Rants.

This could be the only one for the week.

I will play my eye by ear, as they say.

But while I am here, I have a question for my Jewish friends and for everyone:

What is Hanukkah really all about?

We know that it is not the "Jewish Christmas" as some--including some Jews--would have us believe.

But what exactly is Hanukkah, or Chanukah, or however the name of the holiday is spelled?

I admittedly lifted the following from somewhere, but it really is so true, and it explains the meaning of the holiday in a concise, understandable way.

Here is what the holiday of Hanukkah really is all about.

"Hanukkah isn’t just about lighting candles, spinning a dreidel, or eating latkes. 

The holiday exists to commemorate the Maccabees’ victory over the Syrian-Greek army in Judea. A fight to remain Jewish in their own land.

It celebrates Jews defeating their oppressors, preserving their identity, and rededicating the Second Temple. None of that is a miracle without the central fact it all depends on Israel."

So that is what the holiday of Hanukkah really is all about.

It is a holiday of triumph, of rejoicing, of happiness.

I read that some Jews will not put up their menorahs in their home windows this year for fear of reprisals against them.

This is sad that they have to think this way, but with anti-Semitism becoming almost "chic" in this very sick world that we live in, I can almost understand their fear.

Almost.

But to cower is to submit to the whims of these imbeciles, and my family, at least, won't be doing that.

We live in a community with not very many Jews, but that is fine.

We will display our menorah, and do it proudly, like we do each and every year.

I remember that in 1971, when we moved to Long Island, we had a rock thrown through our front window, not only breaking the glass but knocking over our menorah in the process.

I knew exactly who did it, but the police labeled it a "childish prank" and wouldn't do anything about it--

And I mean nothing.

I went after the person who did it with a bat, but my father held me back, telling me that it wasn't worth it, because I would be blamed.

He should know. He was the subject of anti-Semitism here and there, whether when his family went on vacation in the Catskill Mountains, and having to drive through areas to get there where there were signs stating, "No dogs or Jews allowed," or when he was in the Marines during the Korean War, where he was looked down upon and labeled a malcontent simply for being Jewish.

I, personally, have had my own incidents, and what I learned is to never hold back on your religion.

If people cannot handle it, it is their problem.

Look at what happened in Australia.

And this is what happens when you have a government which has condemned Israel for doing the right thing. Don't tell me it has to do with anything else.

it gives these terrorists license and empowerment to do what they want, which is to wipe out Jews not just in Israel, not just in Australia, but around the world.

And now we have the Rob Reiner incident. We don't know much about what happened, but another Jew and his wife are no longer with us because of completely senseless violence.

So during this holiday season, my family's menorah will glow with a radiance that lights the sky.

And that is the way it should be.

I hope to be able to see it clearly after this eye procedure.

Wish me well.