The Trojan Horse of Progressivism |
For eight nights, we celebrate the victory of a ragtag band of rebels defeating the mighty Greek empire. But that’s just one part of the story. The harder truth is this: the Maccabees weren’t just fighting soldiers. They were fighting ideas so seductive that most Jews had already surrendered to them willingly.
That same battle rages today.
Throughout history, the Jewish people have faced two types of adversaries. The first seeks physical destruction—typified by Haman in the Purim story. These enemies recognize that every Jew carries a moral spark that threatens their worldview. Their solution is simple: annihilation.
The second enemy is far more subtle. It doesn’t want to kill us—it wants to remake us. Its weapons? Ideas, philosophies, and cultural pressures that erode Jewish purpose. This enemy whispers: “You can survive, even thrive, if you become just a little less Jewish. Embrace our values. Adopt our practices.”
History teaches that while the first enemy unifies us in survival mode, the second divides us in confusion. Are these ideas really antithetical to Judaism? Perhaps they’re something we can accommodate?
The Hanukkah story captures this perfectly. The Greeks didn’t arrive in Judea planning genocide. They came bearing philosophy, art, and science. Most Jews eagerly embraced Hellenism. It seemed sophisticated, universal, and enlightened. Only a small band—the Maccabees and their followers—recognized the existential threat hidden beneath the appealing exterior and were willing to........