Thread by @AbbyChavaStein

Let's talk about cheese latkes, #Chanukah, and powerful women ✊

Cheese latkes are a traditional Ashkenazi #Hanukkah dish that combines two holiday foods, oil and cheese.

While the cheese might be less known, it has IMO a far cooler story: Judith.

(See @TheRaDR thread below).

The story of Judith, a mythological tale from the Book of Judith, a book of the Biblical Apocrypha (my favorite part of the Bible, in some ways), is the story of a Jewish woman heroine.

A woman who uses her power to sacrifice, seduce, help her community, and destroy patriarchy >

> literally.

She befriends an evil general who is out to kill - and rape.
Serves him some salty cheese 🧀
He gets thirsty.
She offers him wine to quench his sleep 🍷
He gets drunk, the drunkest he has ever been.
She cuts his head off.
And places it HER FOOD BAG!

Somehow over time, #Hanuka became about that Jewish triumph as well, and in memory of Judith's action, the tradition to eat cheese was developed.
One version of the story even describes the cheese she served him as a pancake, aka, cheese latkes.

Personally, I don't think we >

> need excuses to celebrate with delicious food. But, a powerful woman is always a great reason to rejoice with.

So, on this 3rd night of #חנוכה, if you please, join me in some delicious oily, dairy indulgence - and, CELEBRATE FEMININE POWER 💕

#HappyHanukkah
א פרייליכען חנוכה

Also check out this great Judith thread by Rabbi @TheRaDR:

https://twitter.com/TheRaDR/status/1067637797778006017