Hanukkah and Eid Al-Banat: Affinity, Heroism, and Light
An Asynchronous Guide for Study on Hanukkah with Ammud
PREPARED
BY
TAMAR ZAKEN AND SASS BROWN, AMMUD’S RABBINIC INTERN
Ammud’s mission is creating and cultivating a community that is for us by us where Jews of Color are able to build resilience and bring their fullest selves to Jewish learning and Torah. Ammud affirms, educates, and builds leadership among Jews of Color, supporting them to be empowered members and leaders of Jewish community and peoplehood.
Ammud’s vision is for Jewish communities and Jewish life to be made whole through inclusive wisdom and practice that is representative of our full racial and ethnic diversity as a people.
We offer this source sheet for those who want to add some Ammud-style Torah Study to Hanukkah this time of year.
Eid El Banat, celebrated on the first day of the Hebrew month of Tevet, is a holiday honoring the strength and heroism of women throughout Jewish history. This celebration is rooted in the traditions of Jewish communities in Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey, and Saloniki. Ammud is excited to offer this study guide to help you learn about this regional Jewish holiday, and study Torah connected to its theme of honoring Jewish women.
Check out our Jewish learning programs at Ammud: The Jews of Color Torah Academy at Ammud.org and please consider supporting our work by making a donation.
The aim of this learning sheet is for you to:
• Learn the basics of Eid Al-Banat, the regional celebration of Jewish women
• Reflect on the importance of affinity spaces
• Study Torah text about women who shaped ancient Jewish history
• Study Torah from women of more recent Sephardi JOC history
Grounding: Affinity Spaces in Your Life
At Ammud, we know the importance of creating spaces for Jews of Color to learn and thrive together. We also recognize the importance of affinity spaces in generalpeople receive spiritual strength from spending time with their people. Eid Al-Banat has historically acted as an spiritual affinity space for Jewish women in North African and other regional Jewish communities.
To begin this study, we invite you to reflect on affinity spaces in our life:
1. Take a moment and think: In the past, have you sought out people and groups who you have something in common with? When are the times you seek this out?
2. Imagine being surrounded by people who share similar experiences, backgrounds, and ways of being in the world. What does it feel like to be there? How does your body, your brain, and your soul react? Take a moment to remind yourself of those feelings.
3. We know some people crave a few different affinity spaces. You may want to go back and answer these questions again with another group identity in mind. When you’re ready, move on to learn more about Eid Al-Banat.
Did you know? Rosh Chodesh, the celebration of a new Jewish month, has long been a time for Jewish women to gather together! Eid Al-Banat celebrates Rosh Chodesh Tevet - which always happens during Hanukkah - but you can find communities of Jews honoring the new Jewish month throughout the whole year. 4
Grounding: Affinity Spaces in Your Life
What are the Customs and Traditions of Eid Al-Banat?
• Women of all ages come together to celebrate with an evening of learning, dancing, and singing.
• Special sweets, such as honey cake, are prepared for the occasion.
• Hanukkah candles are lit alongside a Rosh Chodesh candle.
• Women take a break from work and enjoy a relaxing day of celebration.
• Rabbis deliver a drashah (sermon) highlighting the power and contributions of women.
• Families of engaged couples exchange gifts, share special treats, and gather for a festive meal and joint Hanukkah candle lighting.
• In Tunisia, a collective Bat Mitzvah ceremony is held for all the girls who come of age on this day.
• On the island of Djerba (off the coast of Tunisia), the holiday is particularly special for single women, as participating in the festivities is believed to bring good luck in finding a partner. The day is spent shopping, cooking, and preparing, culminating in joyful communal celebrations.
An Early Affinity Space: Queen Vashti Throws a Party
Megillat Esther, the Purim story, begins with King Achasverosh throwing a multi-day party. At the same time, Queen Vashti throws a party for the women of Shushan - a record of an early affinity space.
1. Why do you think these women might have wanted to party together, separately from the men who served the king?
2. Who do you relax around most easily?
3. Are there affinity spaces that make it a little easier for you to get into “party mode?”
Early Affinity Spaces
Traditional Torah For Eid Al-Banat
The Jewish heroines Queen Esther and Judith are often studied in connection to Eid Al-Bant. According to tradition, Queen Esther, the heroine of the Purim Story, became queen on the first of Tevet - the day of Eid Al-Banat. Judith, from a book not included in the Tanakh but most likely written by an ancient Jewish community, tricks and kills a general of a Syrian-Greek army who was threatening the Jews of the time. Though not directly tied to the Hanukkah rebellion, embodies the themes of resistance and heroism that resonate with the season. Read on to study some Torah connected to these two Jewish women.
Queen Esther Saves the Jews of Shushan
Queen Esther, the heroine of the Purim story, is often studied and honored on Eid Al-Banat. One of her iconic acts is when she entered King Achaverosh’s throne room without an invitation - and act potentially punishable by death! - so she could work to cancel the evil Haman’s decree against the Jews. Before doing this, she instructs Mordechai, her uncle, to gather all of the Jews together. At the same time, she gathers the women of her household.
Esther 4:15-17
Then Esther sent back this answer to Mordecai:
“Go, assemble all the Jews who live in Shushan, and fast on my behalf; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will observe the same fast. Then I shall go to the king, though it is contrary to the law; and if I am to perish, I shall perish!”
Early Affinity Spaces
1. Why might Esther have wanted to spend the three days before risking her life fasting with the other women of her household?
2. What about the Jews outside the city? Why do you think Esther wants them to gather in community before she takes this risky action on their behalf?
3. Perhaps, Esther is gathering spiritual strength from her affinity with these other women, hoping to gain the courage she needs to act. Who do you gather with when you need to feel strengthened and courageous?
Judith Acts When No One Else Will
The Book of Judith is not included in the Tanakh, but it was likely written by an ancient Jewish community. In the story, Judith’s community is threatened by an invading Syrian-Greek army (similarly to Hanukkah). Judith feels that the elders in charge of her community are not acting to protect the people, so she takes one other woman with her and goes to solve the problem (by killing the invading general).
Book of Judith 8:30-32
Then Judith said to them, "Listen to me and I will do something which will be remembered throughout all generations among the children of our nation.
You will watch this night at the gate, and I will go forth with my woman servant; and, within the days that you have promised to deliver the city to our enemies, the Lord will visit Israel by my hand.
But do not ask me what I will do, for I will not reveal it to you until the things that I do are completed."
Judith takes one other woman to stand before the elders, and then to invade the enemy camp. Who stands by you when you need to act with courage?
Eid Al-Banat Forgiveness Blessing
Another beautiful tradition during Eid Al-Banat is a communal ceremony of forgiveness. The women gathered together for this holiday use a text based on the brachot (blessings) of the bedtime Shema, a prayer traditionally said right before falling asleep:
Eid Al-Banat Forgiveness Blessing
I forgive anyone who angered me or made me feel small or that sinned against me. Anyone who hurt my body, my livelihood, my dignity, or anything I have. If it was unwillingly, or on purpose, by accident or premeditated, if it was verbal or active. If it was in this life or in a past life, to any daughter of Israel, may you never be punished by anyone because of me.
1. What early bedtime routines do you remember learning? Did any of them involve themes of prayer and forgiveness? Did any involve reviewing the day?
2. On Eid Al-Banat, Jewish women and girls of all ages celebrate the courageous acts history Jewish women took to shape Jewish history. Can you offer any explanations for having a practice of group forgiveness on this night?
Inviting Wise Women
In the next part of this guide, we’ll study some more recent Jewish women who have led Sefardi and Mizrachi communities. Before you go on, we invite you to take a moment and reflect on women who have shaped your life story. Think about them. Recall the ways they’ve influenced you.
Osnat Barzani
Osnat Barzani was a Kurdish Jewish woman living in 17th-century Mosul. She helped her husband run the city’s Yeshivah, Torah study school. She learned enough Torah to eventually be called Tana’it, a feminine-conjugated version of Tana, the title given to rabbis in the time of the mishnah. In one of her letters, she wrote:
On learning Torah:
“And he [my father] made my husband swear that he would not make me perform work, and he did as he had commanded him. From the beginning, the Rabbi was busy with his studies and had no time to teach the pupils; but I taught them in his stead, I was a helpmate for him... [Begging for support for] the sake of Father... and the Rabbi... so that their Torah and names should not be brought to naught in these communities; for I remain the teacher of Torah…”
OSNAT BARZANI, FROM “HARABBANIT OSNAT: ROSH YESHIVA IN KURDISTAN”, BY ORI MELAMED AND RINA LEVIN MELAMED, PAAMIM JOURNAL 82, PG 167-168.
Regarding honoring people:
“It should always be according to the order of years, for it is forbidden to honor the young before the old. And for this the Torah says, “And Isaac shuddered a great shudder” Why did Isaac our father, God rest his soul, shudder? He said, “I have done a terrible thing, I have blessed the young before the old and changed the order of the year.” This is to teach that it is not derech eretz, to honor the young before the old…”
OSNAT BARZANI, FROM “HARABBANIT OSNAT: ROSH YESHIVA IN KURDISTAN”, BY ORI MELAMED AND RINA LEVIN MELAMED, PAAMIM JOURNAL 82, PG 177.
1. What do we learn about Osnat’s role in her family and community from these texts?
2. What kind of Jewish leader is Osnat Barzani?
3. What do you make of her unique Torah takes on honoring older folks and young folks?
Inviting Wise Women
Farha Sassoon
Farha Sassoon was a Baghdadi Jewish woman living in India in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. She was a leader in the Sassoon family trading business, and also a learned Torah scholar. Farha was invited to speak in front of the London Beit Midrash (also known as Jew’s College and the London School of Jewish Studies). In the small excerpt from her speech below, we can read her citing the Talmud, and adding her own drashah, an interpretation for the current day. She encourages the Jews studying there to balance their learning of Jewish law with knowledge of the world.
From Farha Sassoon’s Lectures to the London Beit Midrash
A text from the Gemara, Tractate Niddah 73a: “The House of Eliyahu taught: ‘Anyone who studies halachot (Jewish law) every day is guaranteed a place in the World to Come.’
“This is learned from word play on the Torah verse “The paths of the world.” Instead of reading “the paths” (halichot) the school of Eliyahu reads “the laws” (halachot).”
Farha’s interpretation: Here, you are students of this study hall, and at this moment you are learning Jewish law. But, when you go out into the greater world, you will need to know the paths of the world, the behaviors of the world.
1. What does Sassoon’s drashah tell us about the value of learning?
2. What messages on learning did you receive from your loved ones throughout your life? Did the messages on learning shift at all when you were a child to an adult?
3. How does Sassoon approach the relationship between the study hall and action out in the world? Can you think of a time where your learning connected to action?
Wehope it’s been meaningful to learn about Eid AlBanat, a tradition that centers Jewish women’s heroic leadership and Torah learning. We want us all to have access to the spaces that will let us study like Tana’it Osnat Barzani - with a full sense of the sacred in our tradition, and in ourselves.
