Created by: Rik Offenberger
Art by: Gilbert Monsanto

PERSONAL INFORMATION
REAL NAME: Judah Maccabee (יְהוּדָה הַמַּכַּבִּי)
IDENTITY: Publicly known
OCCUPATION: Priest (כֹּהֵן), Warrior (לוֹחֵם)
PLACE OF BIRTH: Modi’in (מוֹדִיעִין)
CITIZENSHIP: Judah (יְהוּדָה)
MARITAL STATUS: Married to Leah Maccabee (לֵאֶה הַמַּכַּבִּי)
KNOWN RELATIVES: Mattathias (מַתִּתְיָהוּ) (father), Elazar (אֶלְעָזָר), Simon (סִמּוּן), John (גִּוֵּן), and Jonathan (גִּוַּנְתֶּן) (brothers)
KNOWN ALLIES: The Maccabees (הַמַּכַּבִּים)
GROUP AFFILIATIONS: Military Commander of the Hasmonean Revolt (מְפַקֵּד)
BASE OF OPERATIONS: Judea (יְהוּדָה)
EDUCATION: Kohen (כֹּהֵן)
FIRST APPEARANCE: Judah “The Hammer” Maccabee: The Hero of Chanukah (2020)
HEIGHT: 6’5″ (195 cm)
WEIGHT: 285 lbs. (129 kg)
EYES: Brown
HAIR: Black

HISTORY

Judah Maccabee (יְהוּדָה הַמַּכַּבִּי) was the third son of Mattathias ben Yochanan Maccabeus (מַתִּתְיָהוּ בֵּן יוֹחָנָ), a Kohen (כֹּהֵן), or Jewish priest, from the village of Modi’in (מוֹדִיעִין) in ancient Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם).

In 167 BC, Mattathias, together with his sons Judah (יְהוּדָה), Elazar (אֶלְעָזָר), Simon (סִמּוּן), John (גִּוֵּן), and Jonathan (גִּוַּנְתֶּן), started the Maccabean Revolt (מֶרֶד הַמַּכַּבִּים‎) against Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Ἀντίοχος ὁ Ἐπιφανής), ruler of the Greek-Seleucid Empire (Βασιλεία τῶν Σελευκιδῶν).

In 175 BC, Antiochus issued decrees that made Jewish worship illegal. The Torah (תּוֹרָה, The Five Books of Moses) was confiscated and burned. Sabbath (שַׁבָּת, the holy day of prayer), brit milah (בְּרִית מִילָה, circumcision), and Kashrut (כַּשְׁרוּת, Jewish religious dietary laws) were all prohibited under penalty of death, and he mandated Hellenism (ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΣ) as the only religion.

Hellenism is commonly associated today with Greek mythology and the worship of the Olympians (ΔΩΔΕΚΑΘΕΟΝ): APHRODITE (ΑΦΡΟΔΙΤΗ), APOLLO (ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ), ARES (ΑΡΗΣ), ARTEMIS (ΑΡΤΕΜΙΣ), ATHENA (ΑΘΗΝΑ), DIONYSUS (ΔΗΜHΤΗΡ), HADES (ΠΛΟΥΤΩΝ), HEPHAESTUS (ΗΦΑΙΣΤΟΣ), HERA (ΗΡΑ), HERMES (ΕΡΜΗΣ), HESTIA (ΕΣΤΙΑ), POSEIDON (ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ), TYCHE (ΤΎΧΗ), and ZEUS (ΖΕΥΣ).

Mattathias was a warrior priest who led the Maccabean Revolt (מֶרֶד הַמַּכַּבִּים‎) for his people’s religious freedom until his death in 166 BC. After Mattathias’ death, Judah assumed leadership of the revolt as a warrior priest and commander of the Jewish forces. He took on the name Judah “the Hammer” Maccabee (יְהוּדָה “הַפַּטִּישׁ” הַמַּכַּבִּי).

Judah Maccabee ultimately managed to raise a force of 10,000 fighters, defeating the Greek vanguard and killing 5,000 of its soldiers. Judah and his rebels gained control over the eastern half of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, and were able to rededicate the Second Temple (בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי). The miracle of the lighting of the Temple menorah, and the blessing that one day’s worth of oil lasted eight days, is the basis of the Chanukah holiday (חֲנֻכָּה).

POWERS & ABILITIES

His combat training is designed for scenarios in which people are faced with life-threatening situations while unarmed or when higher-force options cannot be readily accessed. He can work from a position of disadvantage by responding with military hand-to-hand combat techniques and combatives until the threat is negated. Judah is well versed in both offensive and defensive techniques for a wide array of tactical situations.

WEAPONS & PARAPHERNALIA

The Hammer is the weapon of the Maccabees. The hammer’s power is a blessing from G-d and gets its strength from the user’s faith.