November | December 2020 | January 2021 • Kheshvan | Kislev | Tevet | Sh’vat 5781 Healing of the Body, Healing of the Soul Leo Baeck Centre PROFILE FOR PROGRESSIVE JUDAISM THE LEO BAECK CENTRE FOR PROGRESSIVE JUDAISM STOP PRESS! THE CHANUKAH STORY • PLANS FOR THE COMING MONTHS • HOW WAS IT FOR ALL SERVICES, EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES WILL REMAIN ON-LINE UNTIL FURTHER YOU? & HHD FEEDBACK • MARLIS COHEN NOTICE OR WHERE STATED INSIDE: EULOGY • CHANUKAH AT HOME Presidential Musings am sure none of us ever Of course, we look forward to the time when we can expected to attend High Holy gather together safely but we won’t forget what Day services via computer. we’re learning about being more connected. We IWhat a magnificent job all those will continue to use virtual means going forward as involved have done! The services well, in order to stay well connected. ran very smoothly in general, in spite of a few technological hiccups. By the time you read this, our Simkhat Torah I thank Rabbi Jonathan, Michael Taft, Services will also have been conducted. Simkhat Mannie Gross, Maurice Duband and the Torah gives us a once in a year opportunity to cantors, and especially, for the first time, our tech recognise the contributions of two very special team with Elisabeth Holdsworth our tech shammas, people in our congregation. This year our and help from others, who ensured that our services Khatan Torah was Ellis Edwards and Elisabeth were kept safe from intruders. We also thank the Holdsworth our Kallat B’reshit. Among the many lay leaders who contributed and ensured that Rabbi things Elisabeth does, she has been responsible Jonathan had support during this most unusual time. for ensuring that our zoom services run well and securely. Her knowledge in this field has been It is wonderful that in spite of the ravages of the invaluable. Her contributions to LBC are numerous. current health crisis, LBC’s event calendar is still so This year she has added to them by becoming full. It continues to provide constant offerings even in a Board member. Ellis has been a member for a this unprecedented time and offers people the chance number of years. He was in charge of security to get involved from the comfort of home. Extending for some time, can be relied on to help out where a message from one of Rabbi Jonathan’s High Holy needed, and is currently our treasurer. Not an easy Day sermons, it would be nice to see some new people task. become involved because things are so accessible. Join us for Friday night musical Shabbat, Saturday It is with sadness that I report on the passing of morning services, an event on the calendar - or better our long-standing and dearly loved member Marlis yet - join a group such as ritual, communications, Cohen. Marlis has been, among other things, our membership, LBAC, REJEWVENATION or any of the co-treasurer for many years, as well as doing so many other groups that support the running of much more for the LBC and wider community. Our LBC. I see it as a great time to check out the groups sincere condolences go to Sharene and her family that make LBC what it is - a place where you’re on this sad loss. welcomed, noticed and can get involved. The Rabbi’s You will probably be aware that the Board, earlier compendium and the weekly e-profile will list these this year, established a temporary emergency activities, and some external ones too. Send an email assistance fund to help keep people connected to the office, check the LBC calendar to see what’s with LBC in this most unusual of times. In Marlis’ happening, and get contact details for groups of honour, and to mark her contribution to the interest. community, we have decided to rename the Another inspiring event coming up is the UPJ Biennial, assistance fund the “Marlis Cohen Community which will be held exclusively online on Sunday 8th Fund’, and make it permanent. We thank Sharene November. It is a wonderful opportunity to participate for allowing us to do this. More information on this in this event without having to worry about the fund will be forthcoming shortly but contributions expense of accommodation and travel. You can go to as well as applications are already very welcome. upj.org.au to register. Shana Tova Gillian Lubansky, LBC President HELP US TO CARE FOR THE LEO BAECK CENTRE As we start to consider returning to our regular activities at LBC, we are working out how best we can take care of the building and grounds. In the past, we have had volunteers coming in either on a regular basis to tend, prune and weed the gardens, or to polish the silverware before the festivals, or to tidy and sort bookshelves, and we have also arranged occasional working bees to blitz various areas. On Yom Kippur the Rabbi talked about the opportunities to come forward and help, and if you think there might be anything in these areas you could do, either hands-on or by helping to organise a working bee, please call Julie-Anne in the office on 9819 7160 or email Tanya at [email protected]. 2 Profile | November-December 2020 - January 2021 THE CHANUKAH STORY Rabbinic Reflection JEWISH SURVIVAL - WAS IT hills outside Jerusalem. After indicate that REALLY THE WAY THE BOOKS Mattathias’ death about a year the loss of OF THE MACCABEES TELL IT? later in 166 BCE, his son Judah religious and Maccabee led an army of Jewish civil rights did a little Wikipedia research dissidents against Hellenized by the Jews in order to remind us of the Jews, of whom there were many. in 168 BCE details of the Chanukah story. The Maccabees destroyed Greek was not the I altars in the villages, circumcised result of religious In the late fourth century before boys, and forced Hellenized persecution but rather an the Common Era, Alexander Jews into hiding. Eventually administrative punishment (‘the Great’), who was tutored they claimed victory over the by the Seleucid Empire in the by Aristotle, had created the ruling Seleucid dynasty by use of aftermath of local unrest, and massive Macedonian (Greek) guerrilla tactics and their speed that the Temple was restored empire by conquering the Persian and mobility, around 160 BCE. upon petition by the High Priest and Indian empires, establishing Judah’s nickname “Maccabee,” is Menelaus, who it seems was some 20 cities that carried taken from the Hebrew word for already the high priest at the his name in the process, most “hammer” and is now often used beginning of the Maccabean notably Alexandria in Egypt. But to describe the Jewish partisans revolt and remained so to about when he died in Babylon in 323 as a whole as Maccabees. 161 BCE, rather than being BCE, his new empire was soon liberated and rededicated by the torn apart and divided between The Maccabees are said to have Maccabees. To me this sounds his surviving generals and entered Jerusalem in triumph far more plausible, even if less heirs, although the Hellenistic and ritually cleansed the Temple heroic! And the eight nights, civilisation he developed lived on. which had been desecrated by or eight days the miracle oil Antiochus IV, re-establishing One of these generals was supposedly lasted? The festivals traditional Jewish worship there before Chanukah are the ones Seleucus I Nicator, who and installing Jonathan “Apphus” established new and longer- we recently celebrated: Sukkot (‘the diplomat’), Judah’s youngest and Shmini Atzeret. Sukkot is a lasting power across most of brother, as high priest. A large the lands that Alexander had week long – seven day – festival Seleucid army was sent to – and on the eighth day the one conquered in Asia, including quash the revolt, but apparently Judea, and this is consequently day festival of Shmini Atzeret returned to Syria on the death of – concludes the whole festival known as the Seleucid Greek Antiochus IV. Empire. Several of its later period. So the suggestion is that when, in mid-winter, with leaders were called Antiochus, I can understand the success its long, dark nights, they were and Antiochus IV took the title of a guerrilla army living in the able to resume Temple 'service as of ‘Epiphanes’ or ‘God manifest’, caves of the Judean desert normal', they celebrated the eight ruling from 175 to 164 BCE. His around Jerusalem for years, combined days of Sukkot and title probably did not go down but have often wondered how Shmini Atzeret late – illuminated well with the Judeans, whom they managed to reconquer by lights and candles! Ironically he persecuted heavily, issuing the Temple – let alone hold on this is a festival beloved by decrees in 168 BCE forbidding to it and allow it to operate as all Jews, perhaps especially various Jewish religious previously against the will of Progressives, when in fact it practices. A priest from Modi’in, the ruling power of the time, the marks a zealous uprising against Mattathias the Hasmonean, Seleucid Greek Empire? But Judah Jews more ‘integrated’ into the sparked the revolt against the Maccabee had already made an surrounding culture (in their case Seleucid Empire by refusing to alliance with Rome, tying the Greek influences). Overthrowing worship the Greek gods. hands of the weaker Seleucid the Seleucid Greeks is clearly Empire, whose commander Lysias only a part of the story – a bloody Mattathias is said to have killed a agreed to a political compromise and violent attempt at preventing Hellenized Jew who had stepped that restored religious freedom.