Illinois teen who fled Israel grateful to celebrate Hanukkah with family
Josh Jury, of Homewood, Illinois, said he was looking forward to celebrating Hanukkah in Israel this year while he was there for a study aboard program.
But the Israel Hamas war forced him to flee from Israel and finish his semester at URJ Heller High, a high school educational experience for Jewish sophomores, juniors and seniors to learn in Israel, remotely.
“I was just really excited to celebrate in Israel,” Jury said. “But now I’m with my family, and I think more than ever it’s important that we’re together.”
Thursday evening was the start of Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish holiday known as the festival of lights. It was also two months to the day when Hamas militants stormed through the blockaded Gaza strip into Israel, initiating a surprise land and air attack.
Jury also pointed out the war began on the Jewish holiday Simhat Torah. But the war has solidified for Jury the importance of continuing Jewish celebrations and traditions, he said.
“I remember when I was in Israel on Simhat Torah, someone said to me, ‘The whole point in these missiles being fired into Israel is to prevent us from celebrating a holiday, to prevent us from holding a Jewish space,’” Jury said. “We need to keep celebrating. We need to keep celebrating our identities.”
The story of Hanukkah is of the Maccabees, or Jewish soldiers, fighting and winning a war against the Greeks over Jerusalem, Jury said. During the war, a miracle occurred when one drop of oil lasted eight nights, said Rabbi Jenny Steinberg-Martinez, with Joliet Jewish Congregation.
Jury said it’s all about hope and miracles.
“Hanukkah is all about resisting hate, so it’s like fighting back oppression and having safe space for Jewish people and Jewish tradition,” Jury said. “I think there’s a lot of people hoping for a miracle with this war that it’s just going to end.”
Steinberg-Martinez said Hanukkah has become a bigger celebration in the United States, compared to Israel, because Hanukkah competes with Christmas. Hanukkah is a time for children to learn more about their Jewish heritage and traditions, she said.
But, with the back drop of the war, Steinberg-Martinez said the story feels even more important this year.
“I think it’s a great message for what’s going on, because it really does seem kind of hopeless to a lot of people,” Steinberg-Martinez said. “Hanukkah is a great opportunity to reflect on when there’s light there’s hope. Miracles do happen. Things can change.”
Had he been able to stay in Israel for Hanukkah, Jury said he’d likely spend time with friends singing songs, lighting the Menorah and going to parties. What he was most looking forward to was going with friends to bakeries to eat sufganiyot, an Israeli doughnut eaten during Hanukkah.
Now that he’s back home, Jury said he looks forward to celebrating Hanukkah with his family. Growing up, Jury said his grandmother hosted the family for a Hanukkah party. Since her passing six years ago, Jury said his parents took over the role of hosting.
“I’m really grateful to be safe and to be spending the holiday with my family,” Jury said.
With the war, Steinberg-Martinez said the Jewish community looks forward to finding a moment of joy and continuing to pray for peace.
“I think people are just exhausted from the news and from the coverage. I think they are relieved it seems like some people are being released and that there’s some movement,” Steinberg-Martinez said.
While many in the Jewish community are feeling hopeless, Steinberg-Martinez said it’s important to remember, like the story of Hanukkah, anything is possible.
“It only takes one drop of light to dispel an entire room of darkness. Hanukkah is a great message that we can change things,” Steinberg-Martinez said.
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