Around the world, there are many winter festivals that celebrate light during the darkest time of year. When the days are shortest and the long nights stretch on, we choose to bring light into our homes, actively pushing away the darkness.
As we approach Hanukkah this year, I am thinking about all the ways we can engage with the themes and lessons of this holiday. When the cold of winter is strongest, when we might feel lost or even despair for the world, how can we illuminate our homes, our communities and the world around us?
One theme of Hanukkah is the story of the Maccabees, fighting against religious assimilation and loss of tradition. If you pick up any Hanukkah children’s book or read a summary of the holiday, the Maccabees’ courage is a central focus of the story. Looking more broadly at Jewish texts, we find many other stories of brave individuals and groups: Esther, advocating to save the Jews on Purim; Moses and Aaron confronting Pharaoh; Miriam, bravely watching over baby Moses in the basket; Nachshon, an archetype of courage and faith, who steps into the Red Sea before the waters part.
In Jewish tradition, as in other religions, myths and stories, we often see heroism depicted as a dramatic moment of bravery in the face of oppression or tyranny.
This year, I invite us to think about how we can embody everyday acts of courage. How might small, daily acts of bravery bring light in the face of darkness?
Each day we are presented with countless chances to act with kindness and compassion. In a world that increasingly tries to push us towards apathy and disconnection, choosing to act with understanding and with love for the other have become acts of courage. Choosing to engage with the world around us and constantly seeking to add more light is an act of bravery. Being open to and listening to the needs of our family, friends and community gives us the opportunity to perform everyday acts of heroism.
Our day-to-day actions might be small, but they can deeply impact those around us. Giving someone a ride to the grocery store, helping a friend pay for gas, offering a hand to someone struggling to keep their home clean — these acts can make all the difference in someone’s life. Listening deeply with compassion, making space in our communities for those who are different from us and choosing to approach each person we meet with curiosity instead of judgement can light up the world around us.
Each of these moments gives us an opportunity to create the brighter and kinder world that we wish to live in. Yet engaging with this work demands that we be brave.
It takes courage to be open. It takes courage to give of ourselves. It takes courage to believe that a better world is possible and that it is within our power to co-create it. In moments of despair, we must act with compassion; in moments of uncertainty, we must respond with kindness; in moments of darkness, our actions must be the lights to illuminate the world.
As Reconstructionists, we ask what does this tradition have to teach us at this moment? How can the wisdom of our ancestors be a guide during times of uncertainty? As we approach Hanukkah, how can the story of ancient Jewish courage and heroism inspire us today?
As we light Hanukkah candles this year, I invite you to set an intention for each night. Your intention could be a particular action you hope to take during the week of Hanukkah (or beyond); it could be a value to guide you through the week; it could even be simply the decision to approach the world with openness.
Each night we add more physical light into the world through the hanukkiyah. This year, let us see ourselves as hanukkiyot with the potential to add infinite light into the world around us. The light that we bring kindles the light in others, and through our continued connection with community, local and global, we have the opportunity to spread this light from person to person until we have illuminated the whole world with kindness and love.
