The Hasmoneans

Chanuka too is the holiday of Jewish 'body', it's a story of an armed revolt, how could it not be? while Purim is about sticking to the people's identity, and thus about spirit.
also, i trust Judea's rise was not in the last turn thanks to alliance with Rome, which at the time was as you mentioned rising and displacing the Hellenic states as the hegemon of the region. also, i'd not say Hellenization was stopped, given that very soon even Maccabean rulers took on Greek names, and the Jews of that era eventually assumed Greek language and many customs. also, Greeks had, like all other powerful peoples, alternated in their attitudes toward conquered and assimilated people. Hellenic states were perhaps more repressive to native cultures, but say Bosporus kingdom or states like Sogdiana and Bactria were essentially equal mixes of Greek and local elements Reply

It was mentioned that Josephus wasn't Jewish in this video. Josephus WAS actually Jewish (I'm pretty sure). He fought for the JEWS against the Romans in the 1st Jewish - Roman war.
He ultimately changed his name from Yosef ben Matisyahu to Josephus and I agree with this Ruv that we owe a TREMENDOUS amount of gratitude to him for recording the exact Jewish / Roman history accurately. Reply

What we call Chulent today derives from the Hebrew word of שלוק Shaluk which stands for any long cooked food. Reply

R.Dubov, what is the Hebrew transliterated into English for "hellenist" b'vakashah? Reply

Rabbi Dubov,
Thanks for the efforts to summarize our history.

About Josephus, as said below he was born Joseph ben Matatyahu. He became Josephus Flavius because the Flavian dinasty adopted him (especially Titus Flavius), after his betrayal of his own people, brought him to Rome, and had him writing for them. The veracity of his writings is only partial according to most historians, and we must keep in mind that Christians manipulated his texts to fit in JC. Indeed, Prof. Atkins has shown that Josephus' description of Titus conquest of Judea parallels the tales about JC in the Christian bible. So we should all be careful about what Josephus wrote, he was paid by the Romans.

Another thing: someone in the audience asking when the Tanakh came to be called bible. Bible = Biblos = Book in Greek. Another consequence of the profound Greek acculturation that happened. Reply

Kohen Gadol How did Jason last as Kohen Gadol for more than 1 year? Wouldn't he die upon entering the the holy of holies? Reply

Josephus Yes anonymous from LA. He did fight against the Romans He was a traitor, as well as a student, statesman and a military officer. He actually became a Pharisee. When he saw that Israel was headed for war with Rome, he actually fought in the Galilee. When he saw they were about to be defeated, he did a dastardly thing. Because they preferred death with honor rather than surrender, he devised a plan for them all to commit suicide. But Josephus himself didn't do it. After all his soldiers committed suicide he and a companion surrendered to the Romans.

I ask myself, what did he tell the Romans? He was brought before Vespasian and predicted he would become emperor. This put him in a very good position when Vespasian did become emperor and he liberated Josephus. Reply

Josephus His father was Mattathias and he was of priestly nobility. He was related to the Royal Hasmonean House. His name was originally Joseph and Romanized his Jewish name. Reply

Hellenized Judaism Outside of Judea, the Jewish diaspora in the western world represented 10 percent of the entire population. Hellenistic Judaism was not a small movement. They identified themselves as being part of their host nation, just like American Jews identify with being American, and also identify with being Jewish. The Greek culture was polytheistic and tolerant of all faiths, including the Jewish faith. We were intolerant of their faith which caused anger and persecution. Reply

Josephus Josephus was a Judean aristocrat who fought against the Romans in the northern portion of Israel, but when captured, collaborated with the Romans in the Jewish Roman war. He was a Jewish Hellenist. He was not a Roman gentile. You might say he was a traitor. A Jewish Roman loyalist.

I'm really enjoying your history lesson! Reply

Also, what is written as a decree in Talmud to destroy all foreign Idols and in general any idols at the time that the Roman Empire were not afraid to exploit and force upon the pre Israeli nation! The Maccabees were out numbered and soon resulted in idolatry to ultimately take over the synagogues and the Jewish population thus resulted in the fast of 10 of Av... Reply