History That Doesn't Suck 195: Holiday Special IX: Chanukah in Warsaw & Christmas in Washington, D.C.
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Dec 22, 2025 The podcast explores the poignant holiday season of 1941, contrasting the stark realities in the Warsaw Ghetto with celebrations in Washington, D.C. Rabbi Shapira delivers a powerful sermon, drawing inspiration from the Maccabees amid desperate circumstances. Meanwhile, FDR lights the Christmas tree at the White House, offering messages of hope as the U.S. enters the war. The arrival of Churchill adds a unique twist, highlighting wartime camaraderie amidst the somber atmosphere. It's a vivid look at resilience in the face of adversity during the holidays.
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Faith As Resistance In The Warsaw Ghetto
- Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira used Hanukkah's story to link Warsaw Ghetto suffering to historic Jewish resilience.
- His sermon urged faith as resistance and was preserved in the Oynk Shabbos archive for posterity.
Hidden Archives Buried In Milk Cans
- The Oynk Shabbos group clandestinely collected ghetto records and buried them in milk cans for the future.
- Two of those caches were recovered, preserving firsthand accounts like Rabbi Shapira's sermon.
Hanukkah's Meaning Reclaimed Under Oppression
- Hanukkah commemorates survival through religious perseverance against forced assimilation.
- Rabbi Shapira invoked that miracle to inspire ghetto Jews to maintain observance despite mortal danger.