Are you free this evening?
Come celebrate Shabbat and Chanukah with Beineinu.
6:30pm - All Angel's Church - 251 W80th St(and BDWY - behind Zabars)
We are entering the 6th night of Chanukah. For most of us, this is the season we indulge the material side of ourselves more than any other time of year. We are swept up and away by showering others with stuff. We experience joy from the joy we are bringing to others. In between presents, we eat latkes and donuts, and light the Chanukiyah (remember; all Chanukiyahs are menorahs, but not all menorahs are Chanukiyahs). Chanukah is the time when everyone feels good.
There is nothing wrong with any that.
Except the holiday is about a lot more than feeling good. In fact, it has nothing to do with feeling good. Chanukah celebrates the rededication of the Temple that was destroyed because Jews were forbidden to practice their religion. Chanukah highlights the deep divide that existed between Jews who wanted to maintain Jewish tradition and Jews who wanted to assimilate. Chanukah illustrates the challenges of survival. It reaffirms our strength and commitment to keeping Judaism vibrant and viable. Chanukah is about restoring dignity.
Our sacred texts teach over and over again; since we were slaves in Egypt, we are responsible for ensuring the freedom of anyone who is enslaved. We are mandated to love the other, not just tolerate, but love. We are commanded to take action.
So this year, what will it be? Donuts or dignity? It should be both. We should eat latkes. We should celebrate with family and friends. We should spin the dreidel and there's no harm in giving someone a present. We should also decide what we will do to affirm our strength as a people and demonstrate our commitment to keeping Judaism (and it's teachings) vibrant and viable.
What can we do to bring dignity to the lives of others? We know the problems. We know who is suffering. We know the challenges. We are commanded to act. It's our responsibility and it's our privilege. How can we use our privilege to compel us to strive for dignity for everyone? Only then will the true meaning of Chanukah be realized.
Mekor Ha'Chayiim, Source of Life, as we move into Shabbat and Chanukah, may the light of the Shabbat candles and the light of the Chanukah candles, remind us of our privilege and our tremendous capacity to act. May the light of the candles remind us that we are light and we have the ability to bring light into the lives of others.
Shabbat Shalom - Chag Uriim Sameach - Happy Chanukah,
Laurie
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