In the 2nd century before the common era, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) who, with the collaboration of the Jewish Hellenists, introduced pagan idols into the Holy Temple and set about to forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel. Mattityahu, the son of the High Priest Yochanan, was already an old man when he picked up a sword and raised the flag of revolt in the village of Modiin in the Judean hills. Many rallied under his cry, "Who that is for G-d, come with me!" and resisted and battled the Greeks from their mountain hideouts.
After heading the revolt for one year, Mattityahu died on the 15th of Cheshvan of the year 3622 from creation (139 BCE). His five sons -- the "Macabees" Judah, Yochanan, Shimon, Elazar and Yonatan -- carried on the battle to their eventual victory, celebrated each year since by Jews the world over with the festival of Chanukah.
Links: VirtualChanukah.com; a Chanukah anthology
On this night in 1938 and continuing into the next day -- November 9 on the secular calendar -- the Nazis coordinated vicious pogroms against the Jewish community of Germany. Encouraged by their leaders, rioters attacked and beat Jewish residents, burned and destroyed 267 synagogues, vandalized 7,500 Jewish businesses, and ransacked countless Jewish cemeteries, hospitals, schools, and homes, while police and firefighters stood by. Ninety-one Jews were killed and 20,000 others were deported to concentration camps.
These pogroms, which collectively came to be known as Kristallnacht (“night of broken glass,” referring to the thousands of windows that were broken) were a turning point after which Nazi anti-Jewish policy intensified.
The evil King Yeravam of Israel declared a holiday on this day, one month after Sukkot, where offerings were brought in his idolatrous temple. As told in I Kings 12, this was part of his campaign to distance the people from the Temple service, which took place in Jerusalem, which was ruled by Rechavam, David’s grandson.
Take these words of Mine to your hearts and to your souls…teach them to your children so that this will be what they speak about, when you are sitting at home, walking on your way, lying down to rest, and arising from your sleep. (Deuteronomy 11:18-19)
The simple meaning of this instruction is as follows:
You must teach your children Torah.
Not as a burden, but as a love; so that they will cherish Torah wisdom, share it, and speak about it at every time of day, in every circumstance. Until it becomes the defining activity of their lives.
And to accomplish this, you too must be engaged, heart and soul, in your children's education the entire day.
Not only at home, when you are in your own space, but even when you're off at work or in other circumstances you do not control, this is what should preoccupy your mind.
So that when you lie down to rest after a long, hard day, the concern won't go away.
And when you awaken refreshed in the morning, your first thought will be, "What's happening with my children's education?"
This is why there are Jews today, how this miracle occurred: Because there were Jewish parents who focused their entire lives on the Torah education of their children.