By R’ Matt Marks
We are fast approaching the festival of Chanukah, which begins, this year, at nightfall of the 14th December and ends at nightfall on the 22nd. It is an eight-night festival that Jews mark each winter.
It remembers a time, over two thousand years ago, when a small group of elderly Jews, the Maccabees, resisted a powerful empire that tried to shut down Jewish life in Jerusalem and turn the Temple into a Greek shrine. Against all odds they won back the city, rededicated the Temple and found one small jar of pure oil, enough for just one day, which then burned for eight.
To remember both the struggle for religious freedom and the miracle of the light, Jewish families light a special nine-branched menorah called a chanukiah. On the first night they light one candle, on the second night two, and so on until all eight are burning, using the ninth candle as a helper light. The candles are placed where they can be seen, often in a window or by the front door, and blessings are sung. People eat fried foods like doughnuts and latkes, children play dreidel, and there are family gatherings, songs and public lightings.
At its heart though, Chanukah is not really about battles or oil. It is about the power of a small flame. One candle by itself seems fragile, yet it can light many other candles without losing any of its own light. In the same way, a small group of Jews, holding on to their faith, outlived an empire that seemed all powerful at the time.
One of Chanukah’s most profound messages is this: Communities and leadership built on power never last. Those built on care for the powerless never die.
Chanukah tells us that there may be many things we cannot control in the world around us, and many moments when we feel powerless in the face of things that seem to conspire against us. What we can always do is light a flame: an act of kindness, a word of encouragement, a gesture of solidarity.
If we stay connected to our values and to one another, if we keep that inner light burning, then none of the darkness around will topple us. That is the message of Chanukah for our community here. We will always survive, and even thrive, if we continue to focus on bringing whatever little light we can, and in that way we help change the story for everyone who walks through our doors.