Dr. Couch, I heard you speak about the people of London, England joining
in on Hanukkah during the German Blitz of 1940. Could you explain?
ANSWER:
As the German bombers came over night after night, the English people
were at their lowest spiritual ebb. It was near Christmas time in
December which was the same period of remembering Hanukkah, or the
Jewish Festival of Lights, celebrating the victory of the Jews over the
Greeks in 167 BC.
Some Germans were listening to the BBC radio
broadcast because of its Christmas celebrations on England’s only radio
station that was government operated. The Germans by this time in 1940
had been forced to give up the Nativity celebration and replace any
Christmas festivities with a pagan, German Winter Solstice Festival.
The Germans who were listening to the
forbidden English station, must have gotten an ear full, because the BBC
was broadcasting the Hanukkah Festival lead by the Chief Rabbi of the
British Empire. The ceremony included readings from the Psalms: “I will
praise You,” and a Hanukkah hymn “Rock of Ages, let our song praise Your
saving power.” The service was closed by the Cantor and Choir of the
Great Synagogue Choir of London.
Non-Jews hiding in the subways from the German
bombs heard the broadcast. They joined in and sang along with the Maoz
Tsur, the official Hanukkah melody. In the shelters children celebrated
Hanukkah and held a tea party and played games. The celebrations were
greatly enjoyed by all who were present, including the non-Jewish
shelterers, who openly expressed the pleasure it gave them to join their
Jewish friends in their religious celebration,” the news reported.
Since Hanukkah coincided with Christmas the
Rabbi sent greetings to all in the underground shelters, and conveyed
the compliments of the season.
Could it have been that the trials of the war
had humbled British Christians to open their hearts to their Jewish
neighbors and join together in such religious expressions? This
closeness between Jew and Christian was unprecedented in British and
Jewish relations. During the Blitz England had a great spiritual revival
and a turning back to Christ.
Thanks for asking,
Dr. Mal Couch
