I have always loved what we do here at Anshe Emeth when it comes to Chanukah, and this year is no different. This year, there will be a different twist. I am so excited for our First Night of Chanukah Celebration! Instead of waiting until the Shabbat of Chanukah to light our chanukiyot all together, we will be doing it following our inaugural Chanukah Concert that will be featuring all of our choirs together as one. While it may be cold and dark outside our sanctuary and Temple will be filled with an amazing radiance and warmth.
This is the way Chanukah should be. You see Chanukah is not about gifts and latkes, dreidels and gelt, that’s just how we celebrate it. It’s really about reminding us what it means to be a Jew. That we have an obligation to add light to the world even when the world feels truly dark. It is about affirming our belief that miracles can happen when we put our faith in the right places and when we come together to make the world a better place. As I look out now onto the landscape of not just America, but the world, I see societies all over this planet that are in great need of light.
As we light the chanukiyah candles this Chanukah let us affirm their power and ours and dedicate ourselves to bring light to every place that darkness tries to find its way into. May this be a truly special festival of lights for you and your family.
