"(narrator) In the Holy Land, long, long ago," "King David prepared to build a temple to his God." "It would be a holy place where men and women could feel the presence of God." "And so David gathered together the finest materials he could find." "And when he died, his son Solomon began to build." "After seven years, the House of God was complete, and the joy of the Jewish people was full, for they had looked forward to this since the time of Moses." "As time went on, the temple was attacked, destroyed, and robbed of its sacred treasures, but the Jews returned and restored their holy place, for without it, they were incomplete." "Then came a very strange and subtle foe:" "Greek culture." "It spread, not only through Jerusalem, but through the entire world." "Even the courtyards of the Holy Temple saw its effect." "Yeah!" "Ha ha!" "(cheers)" "Ha ha! "(cheers)"" "(cheers)" "Ha, ha!" "I'II see you later." "I'm late." "You can't leave now." "Nashum needs a challenger." "And who better than "The Hammer?"" "Ham-mer!" "Ham-mer!" "Ham-mer!" "Ham-mer!" "Oh, oh no." "No, no." "It'll only take a few seconds for me to beat you." "Hold this." "(cheers)" "Ready..." "Go!" "(cheers)" "Ha, ha!" "That's why they call him "The Hammer!"" "Hello, Mora." "Nathan?" "Is that you under all that Greek cloth?" "Now, don't start with me, Mora." "Come, I'II walk you to the temple." "Judah Maccabee does that." "Well, today he's obviously forgotten." "Come, now." "Judah will come for me." "And when he arrives, he'll be wearing more than his bed sheets." "Ooh, you're mean and stubborn." "Judah's not coming." "If Judah doesn't come in the next five seconds, I'll... roll around in the dirt." "And I'II do the same if he does come!" "Done!" "Five." "Four." "Three." "Two." "One..." "Sorry I'm late." "Oh!" "Sorry." "Is that you, Huron?" "Mora?" "!" "Judah, this is Huron." "I used to watch him as a child." "Oh, everyone knows Huron." "They say you're faster than all the Greeks put together." "You're no secret, either." "It's a good thing for me you don't compete." "Come to the temple with us." "No." "That's not for me, anymore." "I'm a Greek now." "That's silly." "You can never stop being a Jew." "I can try." "Good to see you again, Mora." "Judah." "Sometimes I can feel so far away from God." "But when I come here..." "I know, Mora." "I know." "Untie the oxen." "Yes, sir." "What is this?" "A gift from King Antiochus." "We have enough of your statues in our courtyards already." "Ah, but this one is different." "It's of the king himself." "Ha, ha." "Is King Antiochus a god now?" "He has declared it so." "Perhaps you'll find this less amusing." "We're putting it up in your temple." "Get out!" "So, they refuse do they?" "Well, it's time to force the Jews to do what all other nations have done willingly." "From this day forth, I, King Antiochus, decree that every Jew who will not bow down and accept the Greek gods... shall die!" "Follow men!" "Let's hurry men!" "What's going on?" "Whoa!" "Ya!" "Greek or Jew?" "Jew!" "But I have accepted your ways long ago." "Surely you see that!" "Pledge your soul to the Greek gods or die!" "Never!" "I pledge my honor to the Greek gods!" "I pledge my honor!" "Get up, then!" "You'll now be a Greek soldier." "I'm..." "I'm honored, sir." "I warn you, though." "Never betray your new life, or you'll lose it." "No!" "There's no use fighting, Judah!" "They'll kill us all!" "Let me die, then!" "No!" "We must get Father and our brothers and leave!" "The temple, Simon!" "The temple!" "The temple is worthless if we're all dead." "We need your help to stay alive!" "Pull, men!" "Watch your ropes!" "Keep some slack in the back end." "Pull, pull!" "Good!" "Easy." "Bow down!" "Jerusalem!" "Look on me and hear this!" "Let this statue serve as a reminder that Zeus sees all, Zeus hears all, Zeus knows all." "To all Jerusalem, I say, look at your new god:" "Zeus!" "This will have to be your home for now." "I'm sorry." "Will we ever see Jerusalem again, Judah?" "When will we go back to the temple?" "Soon, I hope." "Right." "It's only a matter of time before the soldiers find us." "We'll be killed like all the rest." "Leave, then, if that's what you think." "He's right, you know." "The soldiers will come." "I know." "Any sign of Mora?" "No." "Oh, bless you, Nathan." "I'm sorry this had to happen, Mora." "I don't know what to say." "It's all right." "Judah will come for me." "I hope you're right." "Go!" "We want to look around." "Of course, you know the penalty for keeping Jews in your house is death." "Well, then, you better leave before we both get in trouble." "I am a Greek!" "As am I." "I've got my eye on you, Nathan." "A dozen swords, twenty-nine spears, the rest are farm tools and wooden clubs." "We'll be cut to pieces." "We still have this mountain." "That's right!" "When we see 'em coming, we'll pick up the mountain and drop it on 'em." "Ha, ha, ha." "Close." "C'mon." "Remember, the mountain gives us a position of advantage." "You must keep that position." "Come at me with everything you've got." "Go!" "It's time." "Let the water flow!" "(song) It's more than I can bear, to be so far apart." "So through the midnight breeze," "I slip so I can ease the longing of my heart." "Though nations may oppress us, and their armies trod our sod, the strength to overcome will flow from the fortress of our God." "To worship in the home of altar, lights, and Ark, to daily offer there my soul's most fervent prayer is the longing of my heart. (end song)" "Oh, Huron!" "Thank heavens it's you!" "I found one!" "Over here!" "Huron, don't do this." "Huron." "In the name of King Antiochus, step outside." "In the name of God, do what's right!" "You're one of us!" "I am a Greek!" "I, I lost them!" "Two men!" "They went that way!" "Let's get them!" "I... am... a Jew!" "It's a Greek soldier, all right." "But just one?" "!" "It could be a trap." "Get to our positions." "Wait a second." "Judaaaah!" "It's Huron!" "We've found an encampment of Jews in the mountains, led by one Judah Maccabee." "Some think he's preparing to lead his little band against us." "Take as many soldiers as you like." "Take whatever you need... but... kill them all!" "There's no way we can survive;" "it's hopeless." "No, don't lose hope, men." "We must fight!" "If we run now, at least some of us will live!" "Let's go!" "Run?" "Run from what?" "!" "Weak and wicked men who worship gods of stone?" "!" "We are sons of the living God: a mighty God who divided the sea for Moses;" "a loving God who saved Daniel from the jaws of a lion!" "Do you think God loved our fathers more than us?" "Has He lost His power to save?" "!" "No!" "Then rise up, ye men of Israel!" "And put on the faith of your fathers!" "For that is all that stands between us this day and the temple of our Lord!" "(cheers)" "Gather all the weapons." "Pull!" "Pull!" "Pull!" "Hurry!" "In here!" "This way!" "Aaaaaagh!" "Don't lose your ground." "Forward!" "It's no good, sir." "We should retreat until we can find a better position!" "Send every man!" "Full attack!" "We'll never break through!" "AII soldiers... attack!" "Get ready, men!" "On my command, set!" "Now!" "Get them!" "Huron!" "Once a Jew, always a Jew!" "May it always be so!" "To Jerusalem... and the temple of our Lord!" "To Jerusalem!" "(cheers)" "Judah!" "Judah!" "I knew you'd come!" "So did I. Never doubted it for a moment." "(song) I sing the praise of Him" "Whose light makes souls devout." "To us he has restored the mountain of the Lord, the longing of my heart." "To us he has restored the mountain of the Lord, the longing of my heart. (end song)" "(Narrator) Early in the morning on the 25th day of the month of Kisliev, a celebration for the rededication of the temple began." "And although there was only enough pure oil to burn for one day, the menorah stayed lit for eight days until new oil could be found." "To commemorate this miracle, a Festival of Lights is celebrated every year to remind the people of God's love and mercy in saving Israel and reclaiming the Holy Temple." "(song) I sing the praise of him, whose might makes foes depart." "To us he has restored, the mountain of the Lord, the longing of my heart." "Again I feel the peace, these holy walls impart." "The rise of ages past, will satisfy at last, the longing of my heart." "Though nations may oppress us, and their armies trod our sod, the strength to overcome will flow from the fortress of our God." "To worship in the home of alter, lights and Ark, to daily offer there, my soul's most fervent prayer, is the longing of my heart." "(end song)"