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Article: BETWEEN THE LINES: Spinning The Tale Of The Dreidel
- Article from:
- The Jewish Week
- Article date:
- December 6, 1996
- Author:
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Gary Rosenblatt
The Jewish Week
12-06-1996
BETWEEN THE LINES: Spinning The Tale Of The Dreidel.
Who will claim Chanukah this year?
Is the well-known story of the Maccabees rising up against Hellenism a lesson in tolerance or intolerance? That all depends on how you "spin" - not the dreidel, but the modern interpretation of the ancient story.
Consider: Even as Israel is being torn by a cultural and religious conflict between secular and Orthodox Jews, the latter can look to the Chanukah tale as proof of their correctness in championing Jewish religious law, even in the face of popular criticism.
After all, the Maccabes can be seen as the precursors of today's militant fundamentalists. ...