A Jewish festival of light in unusually dark times

Each winter, the Jewish calendar marks eight days when lighting evening candles becomes a religious duty. Hanukkah, which begins this evening, translates roughly to “dedication” and celebrates the recovery of Jerusalem and its Second Temple 2300 years ago.

But Hanukkah is not a celebration of military prowess or victory — it is a celebration of recuperation, jubilation and faith. The “mitzvah,” or central commandment, of Hanukkah is light. This is a time of rejoicing; it is forbidden to lament or to fast. Hanukkah is not a time to commemorate Jewish pain; it is time to engage in Jewish joy.

The festival celebrates how Jewish people healed from destruction. In the original story, after the devastation of battle, a day’s worth of Temple oil lasted eight nights, which now translates to eight nights of candle-lighting, games and greasy foods like latkes (made with oil!). It is a minor Jewish holiday, but over time it has become the Jewish contribution to a collection of winter holidays that celebrate light amid darkness.

This year, though, the light of Hanukkah takes on added significance for many American Jews, and for everyone who shares communities with them. Pittsburgh is barely beginning to recover from the synagogue shooter’s trial and conviction; the United States is grappling with rising antisemitism; and the world is divided by polarizing international conflicts.

As a festival of light, Hanukkah is a distinctively public celebration: Candles are meant to be lit in doorways and windows at sundown, in order to proclaim the miracle of the oil and one’s Jewishness. Thus, Hannukah is an essential time for Jews to express pride in their faith and heritage, and for all Pittsburghers to recognize the strength that comes from being a diverse and welcoming city.

In a time of division, the pride of seeing Hanukkah lights is something all can agree on, especially in these days of darkness.