Bringing light into the world at Hanukkah
The first event in this most unusual round of December holidays has arrived. The Jewish festival of Hanukkah began Thursday night and continues through Friday.
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic isn’t quite as severe on this holiday as it will be on Christmas and New Year’s. For the most part Hanukkah involves small family celebrations that take place in people’s homes.
Jews light candles on each night of the holiday. There are festive foods and games for the occasion, and exchanging gifts is common. Large crowds are not the norm.
But the pandemic still is having an effect on some important community traditions. Though the holiday does not involve a major synagogue worship service, many congregations hold at least one special gathering to celebrate. And public menorah lighting ceremonies involving Jews and non-Jews alike are quite common.
Such events are few and far between this year. To the extent that there are public activities, people are staying in their cars or otherwise keeping a distance from one another.
That’s a terrible shame. Hanukkah, a minor holiday in religious terms, has become perhaps the most familiar Jewish festival to non-Jews due to its proximity to Christmas on the calendar. Public Hanukkah celebrations are an opportunity to bring Jewish communities together and to boost understanding among their nonJewish neighbors.
Still, the celebration goes on in the manner best suited for these difficult times.
Indeed, the festival does have a message that is quite suitable for the world’s situation today.
The eight-day celebration commemorates a successful three-year rebellion by ancient Jews against Syrian persecutors. It celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem by the victorious Maccabees in 170 B.C.
Jews rebelled because they had been prohibited from practicing their religion and were being forced to worship Greek gods. The Syrians defiled the sacred Temple, calling for an altar to Zeus to be constructed there and for pigs to be slaughtered on the site in violation of Jewish law.
The holiday has gained extra resonance in recent years amid a resurgence of antiSemitism in America and around the world. Commemorating ancient Jews’ struggles against persecution serves as a reminder to continue being vigilant today. Hatred against Jews has been around for thousands of years and has proved exceedingly difficult to eradicate.
The need for vigilance against anti-Semitism extends to Jews’ friends in the larger community. That means engaging in acts of friendship and refusing to tolerate hateful acts or commentary on the part of others.
We are fortunate that interfaith relations are strong in our communities. Jews here are involved in activities with people of other religions and practice their faith openly. That’s an important part of Hanukkah and one that’s not quite the same this year. We urge readers to do whatever they can to spread joy and well wishes while keeping themselves and their friends and loved ones safe.
Beyond that, we encourage people to focus on the holiday’s most notable aspect: light. Hanukkah is known as the festival of lights. On the first night families light one candle, adding another candle each night. By the final night eight candles are lit, producing a magnificent glow.
While this practice is meant to commemorate a miracle from ancient times, it takes on a larger meaning, especially today.
One notable tradition calls on Jews to place menorahs in their windows. It’s an expression of pride in one’s faith and defiance of bigotry. Most significantly at this moment, it also symbolizes the desire to bring light into the world.
If ever there were a time when we all needed light to displace the darkness, this is it, on so many levels. We encourage people of all faiths to bring light into the world now and always, and we wish our Jewish readers a joyous Hanukkah.