Rabbi Jaech's Blog

The lights of Hanukkah are beautiful. Yet they are more than a festive adornment for the holiday. Our tradition considers the lights of Hanukkah to be holy.  As such, they are not to be used for an ordinary purpose, such as a source of light for reading a book or doing a crossword puzzle.

One of my teachers, Rabbi Larry Hoffman, wrote of the Hanukkah lights, “their inherent purpose, according to the Talmud, is to shine the news of God’s miracle of light, recalling the days of the Maccabees…We light them so that they may fulfil their purpose…simply by looking at them, we acknowledge the possibility of miracles.”

This Hanukkah, we can kindle our lights for another sacred purpose.

We live in a time in which acts of racism and antisemitism have harmed many in our country.  This year, there is a national movement to bring Black and Jewish Communities together to kindle lights during the eight days of Hanukkah and the seven days of Kwanzaa. The purpose of these gatherings is to stand together in unity against acts of hate.

Leaders of our local community have planned a gathering on December 26 in downtown Peekskill.  We will meet at 6 PM at the gazebo on the corner of Division Street and Central Avenue.  I encourage you to join me at this gathering.

There is great power in the image of lights glowing against the deep darkness of a cold winter night. There is even greater power in the act of good-hearted people standing together against racism and antisemitism in the face of those forces that seek to harm and divide us. There is no greater purpose for these holy lights than to inspire us to acts of unity and love and open our hearts to hope.