The Maccabees were an ancient Israelite army that fought against Greek-Syrian oppressors who occupied their homeland.  Each year, Jews around the world celebrate that rebellion and the idea of fighting for freedom and the right to live in peace. The holiday of Hanukkah celebrates this victory and the idea that all people should be free to worship and live as they see fit.  The rebel army, the Maccabees, never yielded and they fought for 20 years to free Israel.  Their story is a reminder of the need to rebel and to fight against those bent on control or subjugation. 

The guerrilla war fought by the Maccabees took focus and persistence.  They fought the long fight, not looking for easy victories or quick solutions.  We Americans are in a similar position today.  Those who have power over us, have no care of our values or concerns.  The planet suffers and humankind are the abusers.  It’s time to rebel, to resist the commercialization and industrialization of everything we value in life: health care, education, care of the environment, and almost every aspect of modern life.  We have lost control!

The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the places where we live are slowly being toxified and made uninhabitable.  The greed of many has lead to very few winners who have 70% of all earthly wealth in their possession.  Why? Money has no feelings and, in a capitalistic society, it takes money to make money.  Eventually, those with more will take from those who have less, until very few have all the wealth.  Americans need to change to survive, they need to REBEL!

We are the modern Maccabees and we need to fight for the values of our fathers and mothers.  A return to smaller living, a return back to the family unit being the essential piece of society.  Rebel against consumerism and return to an agrarian sensibility.  America became wealthy because we produced food and goods for the whole world.  There is no social media app that grows food or heals the sick.  We rebel against pollution and ineptitude.  Today, technology is a splendid gift that we could use to turn the Earth back to a garden. 

My rebellion manifesto will include how we live, eat, pray, and treat other life forms.  I rebel against modern dwellings: I believe in an integrated approach to living in harmony with nature.  The Earthship is the answer - a sustainable living. We need to change our homes into our environment and to live in concert with our surrounding biome.  I rebel against corporate food: food needs to be produced and consumed locally, with no waste!  Food is not a privilege, it’s a basic need for all living things.  We should never throw anything out while even one person is still hungry! 

Earth is not just a human home: every living thing needs to eat, breathe, drink water, have a place to live.  Humans need to yield 25% of the Earth to other living things.  Human habitation is now choking off the natural world and it’s time to stop! Leave a minimum of 25% wild and we will be moving humanity into a sustainable direction that will allow human habitation into the far future.  These wild creatures are giving us a warning and we better listen!

Now is a time of hatred and vitriol. Why?  Religion! Us against them!  At a time in the past, religion had an important place in society.  It gave individuals moral guidance and procedures for living life.  Now, it’s old and outdated.  The laws and rules expressed in ancient writings have little meaning in the modern age.  The more religious a country now, the poorer it is! Religion hurts public education and welfare by forgoing science.  And importantly, what religion does well, help in moral development, is now a tool to proselytize children.  Orthodox religions are becoming more common, and the idea of living together is moving father away from possible.  Dusty old religions have no place in modern society. 

With all of that said, I’m a proud Jew.  I don’t fear a vengeful lord, I fear merciless humans with rules and no kindness.  I love to read the Torah, it makes me think and ponder questions about life. But I still rebel! It is my belief that it is my duty as a Jew, a Human, and an American, to rebel and fight for the values I hold dear.  My moral compass was set by religion but not dictated by it.  I am an Earthling, and I, like every other living thing, have a right to be here on this great blue marble.  I rebel against pollution and hate.  I rebel against waste and sloth.  I rebel against the dying of the light, for that is the only journey I can possibly know.  I am a Modern Maccabee and will pass the hammer to my children to fight when I am gone!