Christmas and Hanukkah on the Mediterranean

Having been born in Israel, I did not celebrate Christmas, but rather Hanukkah.  To be sure, Israel is the birthplace of three major world religions - Christianity, Judaism and Islam, so I have been exposed to the celebratory rituals and foods of each.  

For example, Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated for eight days in commemoration of the Maccabees who rededicated the Second Temple in Jerusalem around 160 BC. The Maccabees revolted against the attempt at assimilation of the Jews into the non-Jewish society. The story in a nutshell is that the Emperor Antiochus IV began massacring Jews, forbidding the practice of their religions, and imposing Hellenistic rule upon his empire.  The revolt of the Maccabees was against the oppression of the Seleucid Greek government of Antiochus.  According to the Talmud, there was very little oil after the rededication of the Temple after it had been defiled by the Greeks.  Oil was needed for the menorah of the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout the night; yet the menorah burned for eight nights, the time necessary to prepare a fresh supply of oil. For a deeper review of Hanukkah, please click here.

As for the foods of Hanukkah, I direct you to this site, where many recipes abound, from the traditional latkes to souvganiot (doughnuts).  Mmm, yum! 

It is mere coincidence that Hanukkah and Christmas occur around the same time.  The two religions are not connected at all, except for the fact that Jesus was Jewish, and probably celebrated Hanukkah. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, supposedly in Bethlehem, in humble circumstances! If present-day gift-giving is meant to emulate the gifts from the Three Kings, I shudder to think how Jesus himself would view all this commercialism. 

The Mediterranean region is resplendent with the flavors and colors of many cultures, from the couscous of Morocco to the reshikas of Greece and the hummus with pita of the Bedouins.  The sunshine and arid mountains are perfect for agriculture, youth and vitality, during holidays and all through the year.