My father-in-law asked me the other day what was the symbolism of the candles on Hanukkah. "Why do you do this?" he asked, truly curious and wanting to support his newly Jewish son. There is a deep connection between Judaism and light, I explained. It's essential to start a holiday or remember a loved one. It's fitting that we have Hanukkah during the planetary darkness of winter. The Festival of Light reminds us that we can always push back against the dark and uplift light to all around us. As a community, we are faced with many challenges. The rise of antisemitism in the past couple of years illustrates our need to continue to come together and be proud of who we are. The reason why we light the candles by adding a new one every day mirrors our purpose to build light in the darkness for ourselves, our community, and others. Always continuously growing.
Light is also represented in many children's songs: You Are My Sunshine, This Little Light of Mine, Star Light, Star Bright. Why this rather than singing about a pet? We view our children as light in the world, pure and bright. Each has its own unique glow and color. For me, children bring joy and innocence that, unfortunately, can get lost while growing up. Children need to be nurtured in a way where their light never dims and only continues to grow. That is how we can create a strong and passionate future for our Jewish community. It's the light we want to pass down to them, an eternal flame that keeps us together.
It has been a rewarding and busy first semester at HEArt. We have had 12 successful and fun Religious School sessions, six youth group events, three parent connection programs, launched our Chai School for 8th-11th graders, and celebrated four holidays together. When you are busy in the weeds of work, you can forget to look for the light. While these numbers are impressive, they don't take in the countless smiles and connections we have made. As we continue our work, we continue to be committed to helping each child find their light and bring it to others. May we all take some time this season to get out of the weeds and appreciate the light. Thank you to our teachers, madrichim, Education staff, parents, and especially the students for all your hard work this year.
I wish you a season of brightness and a Happy New Year!
