The word “Hanukkah” – חֲנֻכָּה – means “dedication“. The Festival of Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of the oil that burned for eight nights. Hanukkah commemorates the purification and re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabees’ defeat of the Greeks. Tonight, we are looking towards what we can each dedicate ourselves to in improving …
We are living in dark days, and it is sometimes difficult to find hope. We are beset by images of the war in Israel and Gaza. Our climate is burning and species are dying. The generations struggle to understand each other’s points of view. We live with so many unswered questions. When will the war …
Tonight We Light Four Candles. Hanukkah is a celebration of miracles. There are several: the first is that during a time when the ancient temple was desecrated, a small quantity of oil that was only enough to last one night, actually burned for eight nights. Another is the miracle that a small band of Jews …
In a moving piece from Hannah Arendt, she notices that dark times are not rare, but that we have a “right to expect some illumination.” Arendt writes that this illumination comes from human beings who kindle a light with the way they live their lives. When we remember those people who illuminated our lives, it …
Lighting the Hanukkiah (Menorah) each night for eight nights is the central ritual of Hanukkah. We add a new candle each night, thereby increasing the light. The lighting of the candles on the Hanukkiah is symbolic of a miracle: A long time ago, when there was only enough oil to last one night, but it …
Our theme this year for Hanukkah is “Bringing Light to Darkness.” The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah occurs in the darkest time of the year on the 25th night of the Hebrew month of Kislev. In 2023, the first night of Hanukkah is Thursday, December 7. Unlike other Jewish holidays, Hanukkah begins when the moon has …
On this eighth and last night of Hanukkah, our question is about gratitude: for what eight things are you grateful? Gratitude is a spiritual practice. Being grateful keeps our spirits lit up throughout the year. Even when times are bleak, and perhaps especially when our spirits are weary, opening our eyes to the gifts that …
In order to act in the world with consciousness and compassion, you must regularly stop and rest, and renew and recharge. Otherwise, the light in our beings can be snuffed out. Our question for this 6th night of Hanukkah is: what helps you rest and renew? We are not the first people, nor the last, …
Tonight’s question for this 7th night of Hanukkah is: What seven things or experiences bring you joy? Reb Nachman of Bratzlav taught: “Joy is not merely incidental to your spiritual quest, it is vital.” Despite Reb Nachman’s periodic bouts of severe depression, he stressed the importance of seeking joy. Having a regular spiritual practice of …
The question for tonight’s 5th candle is: What five people inspire you, or bring you light? One way we receive light in our lives is from people we admire. You might be impressed by someone’s courage or compassion or how they confront challenges. They could be people you know personally or someone you’ve not met. …
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