This text discusses different perspectives on the significance of the military victory and the miracle of the oil during Chanukah.

The article discusses the idea that the story of Hanukkah and the Maccabees is often seen as a fight against assimilation, but a closer reading of the book of 1 Maccabees reveals a more complex understanding.

The author criticizes how Hanukkah has become commercialized and lost its true meaning of defiance and anti-assimilation.

The article challenges the traditional understanding of Hanukkah as a conflict between Judaism and Greek culture by suggesting a more nuanced view of historical events in 175-164 BCE.