CHANUKAH IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

It was December 1777, when the American forces under General George Washington were awaiting the famous battle at Valley Forge. The future president was deeply concerned about the welfare of his troops. The bitter cold and the poor provisions with which his soldiers of the revolutionary army had been provided did not bode well for the outcome of the critical battle that awaited them.

Wrapped in his officer's cape and clapping his three- cornered hat down hard on his head against the chilling wind, Washington went out to see at firsthand how his men were faring. As he went from tent to tent, he saw the men dressed in rags and huddling around small fires, trying to get together a meal of something hot. As he went on, he suddenly encountered a single soldier, bent over a small metal apparatus in which he had lit a few very small, tallow candles.

Intrigued, Washington asked him what he was doing. Startled, the man jumped to his feet and saluted. Just at that moment, he had little expected to find his commander so near. But again Washington repeated his request: to understand why he had lit those little candles here, in the middle of nowhere.

The soldier, who of course was Jewish, began to unfold the age-old tale: of foreign Greeks who, upon conquering the holy land of Israel, had entered the Temple and had placed their idols in the most sacred place of worship. And he told how the valiant Maccabees, no longer able to bear the evil degrees forbidding the performance of Jewish ritual and the learning of Torah, rose up against their lords even though they greatly outnumbered them and were better armed - "Just like here, only more so, he interspersed." Nevertheless, through the grace of Heaven, they succeeded in removing them from their land.

And last of all the soldier explained how they purified the sanctuary and, finding only one container of oil which remained undefiled, they used it to light the Menorah. Yet miraculously that one container of oil, which should have been enough for only one day, instead lasted for eight -- until new oil could be made. And this, he told the general, is why he was lighting those little lights.

General Washington stood enthralled. He looked at the little flames, and at the face of the Jew. Then, he laid a firm hand on the man's shoulder. "You are a Jew," he exclaimed," "from the nation of prophets! I treat what you just said as a message from the Al-mighty Himself! With your little lights and your inspiring story, you have struck new courage in my troubled heart." The General shook the young soldier's hand, saluted, then turned to continue on his rounds.

What happened the next day is history: Washington's forces scored a victory over the British, and this proved to be the beginning of their total success. Eventually it led to the independence of the United States of America from England.

But what is less known is the following. That Jewish soldier survived the war and returned to his home in Boston. [another version: New York City, on Broome Street -ed.]
One evening, some two years later, he was sitting with his family around the dinner table when there was a knock at the door. He was astonished to see two very official-looking men standing there, but after a moment he recovered his poise and invited them in.

After introductions, one of the men stepped forward and took out a small box covered in velvet, from his inside coat pocket. With a cheerful smile, he handed it to the Jewish host, saying, "Here, take this. It is for you."

The veteran soldier looked from one face to the other for some sign of what was going on. Slowly he opened the box. It was plushly lined, setting off a brilliant gold medallion. On it was engraved picture of a Menorah with the words inscribed: "With admiration, from George Washington."
Ono of the visitors then handed him a letter from the first president himself. "This will explain everything," he said.

"My dear friend," was the salutation. "You don't know what you accomplished that night at Valley Forge. I couldn't sleep that night because I was sure that we had no chance of winning. We lacked ammunition. We were outnumbered ten to one. We didn't even have food or bedding for the soldiers. When I saw those boys lying asleep in the freezing cold under those thin blankets it took away my resolve.

"I made up my mind then and there… to surrender.
"But your lights and your words changed all that. If it wasn't for you and your Menorah, I don't know if we would be standing here today as free men. So we decided to present this medallion to you as a testimonial to that night, which was a turning point in our struggle for freedom."

Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from several Jewish and non-Jewish sources on the World Wide Web. 

 ascen

The Jewish Doc Who Helped George Washington

The saga of Sephardic Jews who were forced to flee the Old World for the New to escape the hand of the Inquisition is one of faith and fierce determination.

The story of the Pereiras is a proud tale of one such family who sought refuge from the transplanted Inquisition in Brazil, in the Colonies of the newly forming United States.

The patriarch of the family, Don Jose Pereira, was a wealthy goldsmith who had successfully plied his craft in every location his family had lived. Now that he had arrived in New York with his wife and eleven children, he was denied permission to work by the local Dutch governor. His eldest son, Isaac, was also a skilled goldsmith, and he decided to try his fortune and relocate in the freer climate of Boston.

There, he settled with his young family and established himself as a talented silversmith, creating objects of great beauty which were eagerly sought after by the wealthy English colonists. As the years passed, Isaac became a member of the growing Jewish community in Boston. It was his desire that his son, Jacob, follow in his footsteps as a silversmith. Jacob, however, showed no inclination for the craft. On the contrary, he was fascinated by the world of books and scholarship. Eventually, his father accepted the fact that his son would follow another path.

Jacob decided to attend the University of Salerno and at the same time, pursue higher learning in Jewish subjects. He spent ten years in Salerno, where he studied under the direction of a noted Jewish physician and scholar. After that period of time, he returned home, an idealistic young doctor.

Upon his arrival, he became especially close with his cousin, Jose Pereira, a fiery young ballistics expert, who had a strong desire to aid his adopted country. Both young men joined the revolutionaries, and when Washington was in the throes of planning his strategy against the British General Howe, they requested an audience with him.

Jose spoke very directly to General Washington, telling him, "Your honor, pray forgive me, but I think your tactics may lead to disaster. I know the territory on both sides of the East River well, and I dare say that bravery and strategy notwithstanding, our troops, ill equipped and poorly trained as they are, do not have a chance against Howe, who, I am told, is right now advancing on our men."

Washington was furious at the audacity of the young Jew, but after a few minutes of discussion, perusing maps of the area, the General became convinced of his superior knowledge. Unfortunately, Jose's words were born out; only his advice prevented the worst from occurring.

General Washington followed the advice of the young Pereira and dared a quick, bold move of his troops across the river on the night of August 29, 1776. At the head of his company spread over a wide area on the Brooklyn side, Jose deceived the British by maintaining a cross- fire and constantly changing attacks and withdrawals, luring the British away from the scene of the crossing. Tragically, Jose himself lost his life, as he carried out the cover-up operation.

As the last contingent of Washington's troops waited to be ferried across the river, the British pressed in from all sides. It was then that Jose took the action which turned the tide of battle. Disguised as a farmhand, Jose made his way to the Hollings farm, where the largest powder magazine was hidden in the barns and sheds.

Soon, the British were startled by explosions which rocked the night and ripped huge gashes in the earth. The third and fourth explosions broke the British attack and the revolutionaries were saved for the time being. It was never discovered how Jose accomplished this feat single-handedly.

Jacob Pereira had so impressed General Washington that he was asked to join his staff. In the bleak days and weeks of fighting which followed, Doctor Pereira exerted a strong influence on the thinking of General Washington. When General Washington abandoned his headquarters at Morristown that winter, he reluctantly gave Doctor Pereira permission to return home to Boston. There, the young doctor established himself successfully as a physician and scholar of note. In Boston, his erudition was greatly valued by both the members of the Jewish community and the scholars of Harvard University, who consulted him often.

His proudest memories, however, were the few months which he had spent in the company of General Washington.