In 167 BCE, the Seleucid Empire bans Jewish religious practice, turning identity into a crime. Alex Calder explores the political and cultural pressure cooker that led to revolt—the forced assimilation, the desecration of the Temple, and the impossible choice between survival and meaning. When an elderly priest named Mattathias kills a fellow Jew for complying with Greek worship, he ignites a rebellion that will reshape Jewish history. This episode reveals how Hanukkah began not with a miracle, but with identity under threat and the violent refusal to disappear.

Click here to browse handpicked Amazon finds inspired by this podcast series! https://amzn.to/3FCQbWr

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI