Feel the light!

Chanukah, Festival of Light, comes during the season when the nights are long and the days are short to remind us that we are each responsible for bringing light into a world that sometimes seems so dark.

Chanukah is a holiday of hope, but sometimes it is difficult to remain hopeful when we see what is going on in the world around us. The Prophet Jeremiah was a witness to the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple by the Babylonians in about 587 BCE. He saw the utter collapse of the nation of Israel and the exile of its inhabitants.

And yet, he could say with certainty, “There is hope for your future!” [Jeremiah 31:16]. Over 2,000 years ago, Judah and his brothers, known as the Maccabees, saw the rebuilt Temple desecrated and their freedom to worship and practice as Jews denied, but they never lost hope.

Struggling mightily against their oppressors, the Maccabees persevered until they were victorious and restored Jewish independence and freedom of worship. Their victory gave birth to the story of the jar of oil that defied all odds and provided light for eight days when it should have lasted only one, serving ever since as a symbol of hope for the Jewish people and all humanity.

A lovely Chanukah song from Israel says, “We come to dispel the darkness, the light and the flame are in our hands; each one of us is but a tiny light, but together we create a strong, bright light!”

Chanukah is all about finding that light that is within each of us and connecting it with the light we find in others to illuminate the world with the light of hope for a better future so that light will overcome darkness! May we all have a joyous Chanukah and may all our holidays be filled with light and warmth!