The Heroine of Hanukkah

Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Holy Second Temple in Jerusalem and the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greek superpower in the second century BCE (before the Christian era).

Known as the Festival of Lights, this holiday also celebrates the miracle of a tiny flask of oil that lasted eight days and the courage of a woman, Judith, who helped win an important battle and saved many lives.

On each of the eight festival evenings, we light a menorah to commemorate the miraculous Jewish victory more than 2,000 years ago. Some common practices are playing dreidel, singing holiday songs, eating fried foods like latkes and donuts and eating dairy foods.

Dairy foods you say?

The Story of Judith (and why we eat cheese)!

Clearly, latkes and donuts commemorate the miracle of the tiny flask of oil lasting for 8 days until more oil could be purified for the temple. But some Jews also eat dishes like cheese kugel, cheesecake, blintzes, and cheese rugelah that all share one ingredient — cheese. So, how did cheese make it onto the holiday menu?

It starts (as many of the events of our ancestors do) with a woman. This woman was Judith.

During the time of the rebellion against Antiochus, Judith was a beautiful widow who lived in the town of Bethulia in Israel. The cruel Syrian-Greek general Helofornes set out to crush the Jewish rebellion in Bethulia by cutting off their food and water supply, starving them into submission.

Unwilling to stand idly by, Judith, daughter of the High Priest, crossed into the enemy camp. She promised Helofornes that she would help him gain control of the town, thus winning his trust.

Judith had brought with her very delicious wine and salty goat cheese with which to ply Holofernes to make him exceptionally thirsty. The general was so charmed by the widow that he drank too much wine and passed out, after which Judith took his sword and ended his life.

She then carried the general’s head wrapped in rags to show the Jewish commander. The severed head inspired the Israelites to attack, after which the Syrian Greeks fled making way for the Jewish triumph.

We commemorate the courage and devotion of Judith during Chanukah by eating cheese and other dairy foods. Syrian and Lebanese Jews still make deep-fried pancakes packed with cheese. Yummmmm!

Judith’s brave act is said to have frightened the Syrian Greek soldiers into retreat. So, Jewish cheese lovers, this is truly a holiday you can get on board with.