Tomorrow evening we will begin the beautiful celebration of Chanukah, one of the most special and happy Jewish holidays in the Jewish Calendar. Chanukah is a time when we kindle the lights of the Menorah and remember the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days and the battle of the Macabbees against the Greeks when the few won the many.
The Menorah is traditionally kindled in the evening, a time when the glow of the flames will illuminate the world around it. The famous Jewish saying that "a little light dispels a lot of darkness", is true all year round, but perhaps especially true as we light the Menorah. The beautiful lights of the Menorah and the eternal message of G-d's protection of the Jewish people, of the bravery of the few standing up for what is right, and of the freedom to live Jewishly, continue to have meaning and value thousands of years after the story first occurred.
The world has lots of challenges and issues that need resolving, including the war and terrible tragedy that is going on in Syria, the terrorism that has been happening every few weeks in Europe, bitter bias and Anti Semitism at the UN which saw hundreds of Anti Israel resolutions passed in the last few years and just eight against the Syrian crisis, prejudices of all other kinds, and a host of other issues and problems. Yet then comes the light of Chanukah, and it reminds us that to win darkness, you don't always need to be the majority, instead we need to increase in our own determination to increase in spiritual light, both in our own home and lives and also in the world around us. Doing so, will light up, inspire and beautify the world around us, be a source of encouragement to ourselves and others to be forces of goodness and kindness, and slowly but surely dispel the darkness that is out there and make the world a much better and brighter place.
It happens one candle at a time, one Mitzvah at a time, and one live touched at a time.....
Wishing everyone a joyful, inspiring and meaningful Chanukah and a Shabbat Shalom and of course we look forward to seeing you at our many Chanukah Celebrations.
If you know someone who doesn't have a Menorah and Candles and would like one, please let us know or let them know about us.
Yisroel
Am Yisroel Chai!