Synagogues aim to bring light during pandemic with celebrations
A group fighting against a strong enemy. A time of darkness, and, also, possibly, miracles.
No, it is not a description of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has sickened at least 68.5 million people and killed at least 1.56 million across the globe.
Rather, it is the bare bones of the story of Hanukkah.
Hanukkah is the Jewish holiday that celebrates the Maccabees’ victory over Seleucid Army, an unexpected, but costly, a military achievement given the size difference of the two armies.
According to the holiday’s story, whenthe Maccabee army came to the temple following the victory there was only enough oil to light the eternal flame. Through a miracle, it lasted eight days, enough for more oil to be made.
Starting Thursday evening, Jewish people will light menorahs, starting with one candle and lighting an additional one each night, representing the eight days that the oil lasted. They will also cook greasy food like latkes and spin a dreidel in hopes of winning gelt (chocolate coins).
Hanukkah is known as the festival of lights, which is fitting especially for this year, said Rabbi Ari Goldstein, who leads the congregation at Temple Beth Shalom.
“Everything is so dark right now in our lives thatwe just need light,” he said.
The story of Hanukkah is about resiliency, Goldstein said. That applies to the pandemic as well as cases continue to rise and more restrictions are on the horizon.
The Maccabees were “fighting for the waywe used to live,” just as people are now, he said.
There are takeaways from the story of Hanukkah that can be applied to the current pandemic, said Rabbi Nochum Light of Chabad of Anne Arundel County.
“Hanukkah is all about beating odds,” he said.
Hanukkah is one of the most celebrated holidays, behind Passover, said Jody Goldsmith, president of Congregation Kneseth Israel. So it will be tough not to gather as some traditionally do.
Goldsmith usually has a large family gathering, he said. This year, that gathering will be done via Zoom with smaller visits to each of his two children.
“Hanukkah is celebrated at home anyway,” Goldsmith said. “That’s what you do.”
Even during the pandemic people can still light their menorahs and say prayers with families still exchanging gifts.
For those who might need a menorah or candles, the Chabad will be giving out Hanukkah gift bags Thursday from5-7 p.m. at the Westfield Mall. Reservations are requested.
That’s just one of the events the Chabad has planned for the eight days of Hanukkah, all with a social distance twist.
On Sunday, the Chabad will host a car caravan to City Dock with menorahs attached to cars. At City Dock, there will be a menorah lighting.
People will stay in their cars during the lighting, with Light transmitting his words through their radios. Cars that attend will also receive Hanukkah packages.
For more information on the menorah lighting and other events during the holiday, people can visit chabadaac.com. Light urged people who might need Hanukkah supplies, like menorahs, to reach out to the Chabad.
Beth Shalom will also be holding a socially distanced menorah lighting on Thursday in its parking lot, Goldstein said. He also will be using a radio transmitter so people can hear the Hanukkah story and songs in their cars.
But if people prefer, they can also sit in the parking lot.
At the menorah lighting, there will be games and prizes given out in a socially distant manner, he said.
This is now the fourth holiday that Jews have celebrated during the pandemic. Passover was in April during the early phase of the pandemic, with the High Holidays — Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur — observed in September. So at this point, people are kind of used to spending holidays on Zoom rather than in person, Goldstein said.
The rabbi said he does not think people will feel as much an effect from not spending Hanukkah with family. The holiday is less like Christmas, which has a heavy focus on family time and is less of a gathering holiday like Passover, where people come together to share the story of the Jewish slaves escaping Egypt.
So he sees hism enorah lighting, aswell as Zoom calls for prayers each night, less as filling a void for gathering and more as a chance to provide a bit of normalcy during an unusual time, even if it is done in a different way.
Goldsmith and Light see it a little differently. Goldsmith said he will miss gathering with family.
More people have joined the Chabad this year, Light said, which he attributes to people wanting a group to which they can belong.
“People want to connect,” he said. “They want an avenue to connect.”