Reconstructing Judaism and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association have signed on to Jewish Rohingya Justice Network’s Statement on Genocide Prevention Day.
Each night of Hanukkah we add more light to our menorah, and this year we commit to adding more light to the world as well. In this session, we will reflect on the social justice work that we want to engage in and ground our action in spiritual practice. We will use song, learning and ritual to create intentions for each night of Hanukkah that will guide us in our efforts for justice.
Using this Hanukkah folktale, George Kelley explores how sometimes when seeking justice we need to find how to get out of our own way.
Despite all the corny but mild holiday songs – not to mention the Sages’ emphasis on the miracle of the oil in a desperately dark time – our tradition has never stopped valorizing the combat undertaken by the Maccabees to oust the Seleucid Empire from our Holy Land. We will first consider the historical use of Hanukkah as a template for an armed response but end by learning about a new response to the violence of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as practiced by Women Wage Peace, Israel’s largest grassroots peace movement, and its new Palestinian counterpart, Women of the Sun.
Have you ever made aruk for Hanukkah? While there is no requirement to make any specific dish on Hanukkah, it’s customary for us to remember the miracle of the oil by eating fried foods. A well-loved recipe in my house, aruk are Iraqi vegetable fried patties – very similar to their cousin, the latkes. Aruk are delicious, easy to make and will be a great addition to your latke platter.
Hanukkah isn’t just play; it is a conversation between the past, present and future. Tradition also holds that Jewish individuals and families tell and retell the story behind the candles. Each of us is invited to seriously explore issues of militarism and assimilation, universalism and particularism.
Maoz Tzur, Rock of Ages, is a Hanukkah classic. The singing of this medieval poem anchors our Hanukkah celebrations and helps us to remember the Jewish people’s deliverance from our enemies. However, some of the violent imagery in this 13th-century poem runs contrary to our modern, progressive values. One stanza in particular calls on God to “wreak vengeance on enemies of the Jews.”
The streamlined, user-friendly site is a combination of the former Ritualwell online store and Reconstructionist Press store, explains Adva Chattler, managing director of engagement and innovation at Reconstructing Judaism.
Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement
Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis
Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues
Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives
