Festival of Lights

The older I get, the more I take away from the Jewish holidays. Hanukkah, which ends tonight/tomorrow, celebrates the miracle of the oil, enough for a day but lasting for eight; the religious freedom for which the Maccabees fought, and won, is a victory that's always worth fighting for. 

Religiously, it's not really a major holiday as far as Judaism is concerned. For sure it takes on more prominence because of the time of year in which it falls. And still, a lit menorah is a moment of calmness. And it's beautiful. And for me, with my family, where holidays are more about tradition and togetherness than religious mandates, the lights that grace my house this time of year bring me an incredible amount of joy and happiness.

 I can listen to the Barenaked Ladies' song, "Hanukkah Blessings" over and over again and never tire of it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAggcnAnY_Y

How Lucky are we that we have lights so that we can see

Although the day is done

What a miracle that a spark lifts these candles out of the dark

Every evening, one by one

Until the end of Hanukkah, of Hanukkah

With the jingle bells and the toys

And the TV shows and noise

It's easy to forget

At the end of the day

Our whole family will say

These words for Hanukkah

Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu

Melech ha'olam

Asher kid'shanu, b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Hanukkah

Light the candles for Hanukkah, for Hanukkah

We remember how Maccabees

Fought so all of us could be free

And so we celebrate on this festival of the lights

There's a joyful time every night

But we illuminate the candles of Hanukkah, of Hanukkah

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha'olam

She'asa niseem la'avoteinu bayamim haheim baz'man hazeh

Hanukkah

Hanukkah

Yet today I've been hit again and again by this burning sadness as I think of the Hasidic Jews celebrating Hanukkah at their rabbi's house in New York and were stabbed by someone who walked in brandishing a giant knife. And that wasn't the only anti-Semetic act during this holiday week.  Reports of at least six other attacks in NYC have been all over the news, enough for almost every day of this eight day holiday. The irony that people are being hurt for being Jewish during a holiday that celebrates the victory of a battle for religious freedom isn't lost on me. 

And as we lit the candles on our menorahs for this eighth night, I offer up extra thoughts for those hurt, both physically and emotionally by senseless violence. And as the lights go out on another holiday season, my strongest wish is that we find a way to fix the brokenness and hatefulness and move more calmly and peacefully into 2020.