Adding Light in Dark Times
“A candle is a small thing. But one candle can light another.
And see how its own light increases, as a candle gives its flame to the other.
You are such a light.”
–Moshe Davis
As you read this, Chanukah has begun, and Jews everywhere are adding light into the world. It may seem like a small thing — to light the shamash (helper candle) and just one more candle tonight — but it makes a big difference. And each night, we will add more light by adding more candles and sharing the joy of Chanukah.
In lighting the candles on your chanukiyah (the nine-branched menorah used for the holiday), you are passing down a tradition to your children and sharing the story of Jewish pride, solidarity, and resistance. Set in Israel, the Book of Maccabees tells the story of Judah and many others who fought against the Assyrian-Greeks and miraculously won against this much larger foe. We have celebrated that miracle, and that of the oil in the Holy Temple lasting long enough to light the Ner Tamid (the eternal flame), for 2,000 years.
It is no small feat to light a candle when the world is dark. It is a light of resilience, resistance, and defiance. I hope you will light candles as a family, with us online, or with us in-person throughout the eight nights of Chanukah, which runs from December 7th – 15th. Invite others to join in the celebration. Share your photos online (tag @pjlibrarygw) to spread that light even further. You may also wish to spread light by making one night of Chanukah focused on tzedakah (righteousness or charity), where your family gives a gift to someone in need or volunteers as a family. This, too, will brighten the world.
“On Chanukah, when we use one flame to light another, the glow is not halved — the light is multiplied.”
–Micaela Ezra
I wish you a bright and happy Chanukah!
Chag Urim Sameach (Happy Festival of Lights),
Sarah