Hanukkah on the Temple Mount
The Faithful March from Modi'in to the Temple Mount

On Monday, 10th December 2001 [25 Kislev 5762], the first day of Hanukkah, The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement marched from Modi'in, the village of the Maccabees, to the Temple Mount in Biblical Jerusalem.

The march started in the early morning when the Faithful came to Modi'in, 22 miles from Jerusalem. They stood before the tombs of the Maccabees and commemorated their heritage and heroism 2,150 years ago when the Maccabees started their great heroic revolt against the Hellenist Seleucid empire. The Seleucids had occupied the land of Israel, persecuted the Israelites, and forced them to accept Hellenist culture and faith. More than this, they placed an idolatrous statue in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. Under this pressure and persecution the back of most of the Israeli people was broken. This was a critical moment in Israeli history. All the nations under Seleucid control accepted Hellenism and became a part of it. The danger was that this would also be the destiny of Israel — that Hellenism would be accepted there also.

However, at this critical moment G–d raised up His messenger, the Maccabees. The revolt started in the small village of Modi'in. The man chosen by G–d to bring about this revolution and save Israel was the high priest, Matatiyahu the Hashmonean. He could not fulfil his priestly duties because Jewish worship in the Temple ceased when the Holy Place as desecrated by the Hellenists. Eventually, Hellenist soldiers came to Modi'in and erected an idol in the center of the village and, as was done all over Israel, they attempted to force the villagers to bow to the idol and to eat pork. The heart of Matatiyahu was broken when he saw this. He remained faithful to the G–d of Israel and to the Torah and the spirit of G–d rose within him and he acted for the Name of G–d and His Word. He called on the people in Modi'in: "He who is with our G–d will follow me!" As an example to all of them he destroyed the idol, burned the pork and killed the soldiers.

Immediately his five sons joined him, together with all the others villagers who felt the spirit of G–d in their hearts, and the great Maccabeen revolt started. They began as a small group but, as in modern Israel, G–d fought together with them and they went from victory to victory in the battles that they made against the Hellenist soldiers, the biggest empire of the time. The main battle was in the place which was the focus of the revolt — the Temple of G–d. They won the battle for Jerusalem and the Temple Mount and as G–d promised to Israel, a small minority together with G–d defeated the great majority of this great empire. They immediately destroyed the idol, purified the Holy of Holies and all the Temple. They wanted to immediately reintroduce worship in the Temple but did not have sufficient pure holy olive oil for the menorah. Then a further miracle occurred. In a corner of the Temple they found a small cruse of pure olive oil which was enough for one day. However it burned for eight days, the time that they needed to acquire more pure olive oil.

From Jerusalem they continued the revolt and defeated the Hellenist forces in Israel and renewed Israeli sovereignty and independence throughout the land. It was one of the most exciting appearances of G–d in the life of Israel. It was a godly event which also changed the lives of so many Israelites who, because of weakness, had accepted Hellenism. Together with G–d, the heroic Maccabees saved the people of Israel from the danger of disappearing as a nation, a faith, a culture, and an identity. This great event became a godly message and heritage to all the following generations forever. From that time onward, the Israeli nation has commemorated the event as G–d taught them by celebrating the Hanukkah holiday for eight days each year on the same date that the Maccabees liberated and purified the Temple — from the 25th Kislev. The holiday is celebrated for eight days to commemorate the miracle of the olive oil which could only have happened because of the faithfulness of the Maccabees towards G–d and their readiness to give their lives for Him, His house and for the holy land that He gave to Israel.

Some of the sons of Matitiyahu died in the uprising together with other heroic Israeli fighters but by their faithfulness to G–d they achieved their great victories and eternal life for all the following generations.

The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement consider themselves to be the Maccabees of the godly end-times, a very similar time in some aspects. Israel is again surrounded by 21 large Arab nations and tens of Islamic countries — 1,300,000,000 people. So often the Moslems also have the support of almost the entire world. Israel, a small nation of about 5,000,000 Jews, is repeatedly attacked by these nations in wars and by terrorism. This started in 1948 when the State of Israel was re-established by G–d in the same holy land of the covenant. In those days the Jews only numbered 600,000. The Israeli army — the Maccabees of our time — again together with the G–d of Israel, have repeatedly defeated them. However they still continue with terror attacks and preparation for another major war to destroy Israel. They send many Arabs to immigrate to Israel and thus establish a power in the midst of the land to destroy her. They do this mainly to destroy the faith, culture and Word of G–d which is and will always be, the foundation of the life of the Jews. They call these immigrants, who came in the 20th Century, "Palestinians" and they call the land of Israel, Palestine, a people and a nation which never existed in the holy land of Israel. They decided to cancel the name Israel, which G–d gave to the land, and to completely change its character, culture, faith and language. This is very similar to what the Hellenists wanted to do in this land. The Arabs adopted the name "Palestine" which was given to the land by the Romans in 70 C.E after they destroyed the Temple and the Israeli nation. There is no doubt that they will finally be defeated, judged by G–d, and will completely disappear from the stage of history exactly as it happened to the Hellenist and other empires, powers and nations who tried to fight against the G–d of Israel. This is especially true in the times in which we are now living, these last days, when G–d is so determined to fulfil His end-time plans with Israel and all mankind.

Under this pressure, and that which comes from most all the world, there are Israelis who have sometimes been broken spiritually and have decided to adopt Western culture to become, as they call it, part of the greater world and the secular Western culture which is based on Hellenist foundations. This they do in place of the culture and Torah which G–d gave to Israel. In Israel they are called secular Israelis. They remind one so much of those Israelis who decided to accept Hellenism 2,150 years ago and become a part of that culture.

Israel is now in a very critical time. It is not only a critical battle against so many enemies who want to destroy her physically but within Israel a cultural and faith struggle is taking place. The struggle is between those who are faithful to the G–d of Israel, His Word and the eternal mission that He gave to Israel when he created the nation more that 4,000 years ago and those who want to make Israel a nation like all the other nations in the world based on so-called Western/Hellenic culture.

The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement, as the Maccabees before them, have continued to struggle since 1967 against two fronts. On the one hand are those enemies of Israel who have possession of the Temple Mount. They have desecrated it and placed their foreign pagan symbols and mosques in the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place of the house of G–d. They destroy the holy remains of G–d's Temple on a daily basis. They continue their battle throughout the land to destroy Israel and to cancel it's godly culture. We thank the G–d of Israel Who in these critical days has founded and anointed The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement. He has given us the holy goal of removing the enemy of the G–d and people of Israel from the Temple Mount and from all over the land of Israel, to purify the holy hill of G–d, to rebuild His holy Temple, to renew the holy worship, and to make the house of G–d a house of worship and prayer for Israel and all the nations in these end-times.

On the other hand, the struggle of The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement, again as in the time of the Maccabees, is against the impact and influence of secular Western/Hellenist culture that has taken over most of the world. It has penetrated Israeli society and occupied a part of the nation. Many are not only ready to give up our godly history and faith but also to "compromise" with the enemy. They want to give the enemy the main Biblical parts of the land. They want to sign false agreements with them despite the fact that our enemies have shown that they have no intention of compromising but intend to take over all the land of Israel and to destroy this godly State. The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement believes that Israel cannot merely be another "normal" nation in the world but that she must be what G–d designated her to be: "a holy nation, a kingdom of priests and a treasure amongst the nations" (Exodus5:6).

The campaign and struggle of the Temple Mount Faithful Movement is for the Temple Mount, Jerusalem and the land of Israel. However at the same time it is a struggle for the godly identity for the people and State of Israel, the State and nation which must fulfil the mission and vision which G–d gave them when He made the eternal covenant with them and sent His prophets to them. The rebirth of the people and State of Israel was not an accident in history but a godly, prophetic end-time event for this very purpose.

The purpose of the Hanukkah event of The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement was to carry with us this Maccabeen heritage and to bring it to the attention of our enemies. The purpose was also to share it again with all the Israeli nation, to put it in their hearts, and to encourage them to do what the Maccabees did; to do at this critical time what the G–d of Israel expects of them in these last days.

In front of the tombs of the Maccabees we prayed to G–d to give the Israeli nation, as in the time of the Maccabees, the strength to defeat their enemies and to remain faithful to His Word and mission. We read from the Book of the Maccabees. It was an exciting moment when we read Simon the Maccabees' answer to the foreign ruler when he was asked to return the land which the Maccabees had liberated: "We did not liberate a foreign land, but the land which G–d, the creator of the world, gave to us and to our forefathers in an eternal covenant and which at one time was taken from us by you. Now G–d has given it back to us and you have no part in it" (1st Maccabees 15.33) Then we lit the torch of the Maccabees to take it to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. With the torch we lit the Hanukkiah. In front of the tombs we swore faithfulness to the G–d of Israel, His Word, His house on the Temple Mount, to Jerusalem, and to the land which He gave us.

From Modi'in the youth ran on the mountains of Beth Horon on the way to Jerusalem. The main battles of the Maccabees against the Hellenists took place on these mountains and here the major victories took place. On the way we passed the tomb of the prophet Samuel where we prayed and asked G–d to send King David to save Israel from all her enemies and to liberate the Temple Mount, Jerusalem and the land of Israel exactly as King David did in his time.

We then arrived in Biblical Jerusalem where, at the Jaffa Gate plaza, we raised the godly flag of Israel with the Star of David and the youth tore up the flag of the PLO and a coffin representing the "Palestinian" Authority. The message was that a pagan foreign state or authority will never again be established on the holy mountain of G–d, in Jerusalem or in Israel. We called on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to keep faithful to the G–d of Israel, to His Word, and to the mission which He gave to His people. We called on him to reject any evil pressure which comes upon Israel from outside and to state before all the nations that Israel is faithful to and accepts only the covenant of G–d and His Word to Israel. After relighting the hanukkiah from the torch of the Maccabees we then marched through the narrow streets of the Old City to the holy Temple Mount singing and praying the Hanukkah prayers.

The climax of this important and exciting event was when the marchers came to the Temple Mount, the holy hill of G–d. Exactly as the Maccabees felt in their time, we were so sad when we saw the holy hill of G–d desecrated by the pagan Arab Moslems who continue their foreign presence on the holy hill. The gates of the Temple Mount remained closed as has been the case since the Arabs started their latest wave of terror more than one year ago. In front of the western (Mugrabi) gate of the Temple Mount we brought the torch and again lit the Hanukkah menorah. We swore that we shall continue to fulfil the mission that G–d has given to us and to again make the Maccabeen heritage a reality in these days. We prayed and worshipped G–d facing towards the site of the Holy of Holies and called on the Israeli Government not to fear any of the powers which surround Israel or anywhere in the world but to trust the G–d of Israel Who alone will save them and give them the victory. We called on the Israeli Government to purify the Temple Mount as the Maccabees did and to immediately rebuild the house of G–d. We called on Ariel Sharon to re-liberate all the Biblical parts of the land of Israel which have been given to the evil, terrorist "Palestinian" Authority and to remove these foreigners from the holy land of Israel.

In these exciting and moving moments we felt the presence of G–d. We felt that He is telling us: "My faithful children, together with Me you will win the battle. Soon you will see how I will purify the Temple Mount, Jerusalem and all the land of Israel that I gave you. The Temple will be rebuilt and Mashiach ben David is soon to come. Continue to be strong with me and I will be strong with you and the godly torch that you lit today will soon light all the land of Israel, My people and all the world."

This godly event ended with the singing of the national anthem - Ha Tikvah (The Hope) - with our faces and hearts towards the Holy of Holies of G–d.

From the Temple Mount we went to Ben Yehudah Street where eleven children had been murdered by Arafat's terrorists nine days previously. There we lit eleven memorial candles and prayed in memory of these children who were killed in such a cruel and evil way. We prayed from the Psalms where G–d promises the people of Israel that He will judge those who spill the blood of the innocent children of Israel. Before leaving, with heavy hearts but strong spirits and great faith, we prayed Psalm 79:

A Psalm of Asaph. O G-d, nations have come into your inheritance; your holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. The dead bodies of your servants have they given to be food to the birds of the sky, the flesh of your pious ones to the beasts of the earth. Their blood have they shed like water around Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them. We have become a taunt to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to those who are around us. How long, L-rd? Will you be angry for ever? Shall your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out your wrath on the nations that have not known you, and on the kingdoms that have not called upon your name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. O do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your tender mercies speedily come to meet us; for we are brought very low. Help us, O G-d of our salvation, for the glory of your name; and save us, and forgive our sins, for your name's sake. Why should the nations say, Where is their G-d? Let the revenging of the blood of your servants which is shed be made manifest among the nations, and before our eyes. Let the groans of the prisoner come before you; according to the greatness of your power preserve those who are appointed to die; And render to our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their insult, with which they have insulted you, O L-rd. So we your people and sheep of your pasture will give you thanks for ever; we will tell your praise to all generations.

Everyone who reads this article is called on to pray Psalm 79, to trust the G–d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and to stand strong with Him and His messengers from The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement. We ask them to always remember what Zechariah told us in the name of G–d "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Let your hands be strong, you who hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, who spoke on the day that the foundation of the house of the L-rd of hosts was laid, saying that the temple might be built. ... so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, but let your hands be strong." (Zechariah8:9,13b) All of us trust in G–d, our hands are strong with Him and, together with Him, we shall soon win the battle.