Some may be surprised to learn not only that Hanukkah is a special holiday for those of Jewish faith, but that a Jewish woman played an important part in its history.
“There was a woman who took a very specific role in the military victory named Yehudis,” Rabbi Levi said.
Although there are different accounts as to who Yehudis? father was ? either Mattathias Maccabee or Yochanan the High Priest ? there is no argument about her role in the Hanukkah holiday.
“She was able to actually kill one of the Greek generals by feeding him dairy,” Levisaid.
The Greek general, Holofernes, and his army had taken over the city of Bethulia, starving the citizens so they would surrender. Yehudis charmed Holofernes with her beauty and personality, feeding him kosher dairy products to make him thirsty. She then gave him undiluted wine, making him drink it until he passed out. Then she cut off his head with his own sword. Once Holofernes? army found him, they fled the city of Bethulia.
“And so there is a custom to eat dairy foods to commemorate the foods that [Holofernes] was fed,” Levi said. “There is also a custom that Jewish women don?t do any work while the Hanukkah candles are burning.”
