Hanukkah!

See through the lights, it’s like in the years when we first came together. See through the lights, a great miracle has occurred. See through the lights, our story in the here and now, and it is true that we can only maintain our unity if we stand together. See through the lights and recognize myself in you. See through the lights and am happy in our togetherness. Even today, it is as it was before. We do not strive for power, for Hashem alone lights our way in the night—of Hanukkah. See through the lights your miracles for us all and thank you for your protection and our paths. Even today we will see each other, and I will carry your blessing with the light. It is already here, and we trust in one another. In the light of Hanukkah!

Hanukkah/Chanukka

FROM TODAY’S CHASSIDUS CLASS

“Chanukah is the celebration of the miracle of G-d because that is the miracle of the Jew. The winning is a human thing, even though it was beyond…Yes we won but that’s not what the Jew is about, the victory,…But Jews and Judaism it’s about our connection to G-d. It’s about being an eternal people. The eternity is not in winning the war…what do we celebrate? We celebrate our Divine connection. And therefore we celebrate this one jar of oil that a miracle happened. Because what was the miracle bought about? The miracle of the Jew that we rise above the human condition and we become G-dly people, which we are but we reflect that, and express that and live that in the defeat against the Greeks and in the lighting of the menorah and the miracle that happens. So we are about G-d’s miracle, that’s who we are and that’s what we celebrate. That’s the Jewish people.”
— RabbiRonnie Fine Rabbi Ronnie Fine of Chabad Zichron Kedoshim

One more reason to celebrate together

I am prepared for this year’s Chanukkah celebration and I am looking forward to it. I have already registered and will be driving to Ulm – visiting the synagogue there for the first time to pray and remember the miracles that Hashem grants us all. Also the heroic struggle of the Maccabees, without whose successful fight against the Greek rulers (Seleucids), Judaism would have perished forever. This would have meant that Christianity would never have come into being.

Without the willingness to stand up for Judaism, it is in great danger. And let us not forget that without the resilience of its Jewish leaders, on a small and large scale, all of us, survival and prosperity is not possible.