During Hanukkah each year, the story of the Festival of Lights is told. Most people who celebrate the holiday know that a group of rebels called the Maccabees fought their Syrian oppressors to reclaim their city and rebuild their temple. Most people also know that Hanukkah is celebrated for eight nights because although the Maccabees only had enough oil to light the temple's menorah for one night, it burned for eight. The story is much deeper than that, though.
The Maccabees' rebellion was a culmination of hundreds of years of struggle. Their story takes place around 200 BC when they rebelled against a Syrian king called Antiochus IV, who tried to suppress their culture and customs and impose Greek gods and beliefs on the city of Jerusalem. The story of Judith takes place a few centuries earlier – around 600 BC, under the Syrian king Nebuchadnezzar.
Bethulia, a town in the land of Israel, was taken over by a general named Holofernes and his army. Holofernes was known for his cruelty towards the Jewish people. He tried to suppress the people of Bethulia first by fighting, and then by cutting off supplies and starving them out. Before long, the city's elders were on the verge of surrender.
Judith, a charming young widow in the town, didn't give up hope. She planned to sneak into enemy camps and talk to Holofernes, gaining his trust and pretending to help him. Eventually, she convinced the elders to let her follow through with her plan. Within a few days, she had earned his trust, promised to help him win, and entranced him with her beauty.
As an early celebration for an expected victory, Holofernes invited Judith to a banquet. Judith brought some food of her own to offer Holofernes – a delicious, but salty, cheese that she had made, and a strong wine to wash it down. By the time the banquet ended, Holofernes was in a drunken state of unconsciousness, alone in a tent with Judith. She took his sword, beheaded him, and snuck out of the enemy camp.
The next morning, the Jews in Bethulia carried out a surprise attack on Holofernes' disorganized soldiers, led by Judith. They won the battle and managed to take back their city.
Judith is a heroine whose bravery, kindness and intelligence saved the Jews from persecution, like many others have throughout history. In Jewish lore, her story is often paired with the story of Hanukkah, but it is not told often enough. Judith's name should be remembered along with Esther, Miriam, the matriarchs and all the other women who have shaped Jewish history.
