Chanukah is once again upon us. It is always preceded or coincides with the story of Joseph in Egypt. I do not believe that this is coincidental. There are profound lessons to be learned from this calendrical placement. Joseph in Egypt, the Jews who became Hellenized, and our own bifurcated existence—with one foot in the modern world and the other rooted in Jewish tradition—are all one story.

Joseph in Egypt reached the pinnacle of success in Pharaoh’s palace, even though he was still considered an outsider. Throughout history, Jews have risen to high positions in various governments, only to have those same countries turn on them, expel them or kill them.

Assimilation is a slippery slope. Although Joseph was the highest ranking official after Pharaoh, He remained a loyal son of Israel. He could have anything he wanted. He may have appeared Egyptian externally, and one might assume he shared their vices. But when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him he didn’t just politely refuse, he adamantly and strenuously rejected, and rebuffed her advances. The Torah emphasizes this with the cantillation note known as a shalshelet, which is an ever increasing high note in triplicate for emphasis.

Joseph never forgot who he was and who his people were. Sometimes Jews forsake their own culture when there is no overt persecution, in the hopes of blending in. This was the mistake of the Hellenized Jews, who were willing to give up their religion to be accepted by the Syrian Greeks. Sometimes Jews may feel that the prevailing culture has more to offer than their own, so they give up the Holy Temple for the sports arena. This is the Chanukah story.

It’s not difficult to see parallels to our own time. Hellenized Jews wanted social and economic advancement, so they erased their Jewishness. This has happened time and time again throughout history, where even the most assimilated eventually suffered. Those Jews who advocated traditional Jewish values in the face of Greek Hellenization were ultimately victorious. They kept the flame burning bright.

Jews in America have faced many challenges—and we have prevailed. There was a time when Shabbat observance meant getting fired for not coming to work, then having to find a new job, and the cycle repeating itself. There was a time when there were very few strictly kosher restaurants. There was a time when Orthodoxy was written off. There was a time when there were very few day schools. There was a time when you never saw a kippah outside shul.

Fortunately those days are long gone, but the dangers of assimilation still exist. Not every stylish blazer with a shatnez label is a guarantee that the wearer is fully observant. Neither is the admonition to dress British and think Yiddish!

Our rabbis created a significant response to assimilation in the manner in which we celebrate Chanukah. The concept of “publicizing the miracle” by kindling the menorah where people can see it reminds us to be proud of our heritage. It reminds us that a small band of proud Jews were victorious against overwhelming odds. That’s been true for all of our history. We encourage our children to light the menorah and we tell them the story. Chanukah is not just dreidels, latkes, chocolate coins and sufganiyot. It’s the story of Jewish survival and continuity—especially when you consider that most of our history has been in exile.

We intensify our Chanukah observance by adopting the most stringent practice of kindling an additional light each night instead of just one as the law requires. This is what the Talmud calls “super enhancement.” We thus celebrate the continued growth and vitality of our tradition even as the oil continued to burn night after night. The lights are Judaism’s message and reminder to remain strong. Egypt, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, Rome, Spain, and Germany are shadows of their former glory. We are still here and Israel has surpassed them all.

Chanukah is much more than rededicating the Temple. It is about each family in each generation telling the story and passing the flame forward. Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk observed that people sometimes pursue falsehoods with the intensity of those who pursue the truth. Would that we could pursue the truth with such passion.

The issues faced by our ancestors are the same ones facing us today. When the rabbis taught that we should be at home to light the menorah, they were telling us not to stray too far from our home, i.e. our sacred heritage.

The second blessing over the Chanukah lights is a request that the miracles wrought for our ancestors be visited upon us. Amen.

Rabbi Dr. Wallace Greene has had a distinguished career in Jewish education and is currently a consultant for The International March of The Living.