FSPC - Judas Maccabaeus - 150-200 BCE - background

Fort Street Presbyterian Church, 631 West Fort Street, Detroit, Michigan

The Fort Street Chorale will be performing G.F Handel's "Judas Maccabaeus" on Sunday, May 17 at 3:00 pm; contact the church for information, 313-961-4533.

This video and the text below provide some background on the story:

In the second century BCE, Jews in the Holy Land were living under occupation by the Syrian (Seleucid) powers, a division of the Greek Occupation. Working in collaboration with compliant Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, the Syrian Occupiers put great restrictions on traditional Jewish cultural and religious practices. This led to a revolt by the Jewish people against the Syrian occupation.

Judas Maccabaeus and his family led the Maccabaean revolt of the Jewish people against the Syrian Empire during the period 167 BCE-160 BCE. For his heroic efforts, Judas Maccabaeus is acclaimed as one of the greatest warriors in Jewish history alongside Joshua, Gideon and David.

Judas Maccabaeus died in battle around 160 BCE, and his death stirred the Jews to renewed resistance. Under the leadership of Judas Maccabaeus' brothers Jonathan and Simon, the Jews finally achieved independence from Syrian Occupation and the liberty to worship freely. (Unfortunately, only a few short years after achieving their independence from Syrian Occupation, the Jewish people found themselves under occupation again, this time by the Roman Empire.)

The Jewish feast of Hanukkah ("Dedication") commemorates the restoration of Jewish worship at the temple in Jerusalem in 165 BC, after Judas Maccabaeus removed a pagan statuary that had been placed there by the occupying powers.

Primary Source: Wikipedia

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