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Rabbi Sarah Shulman: Igniting a Hanukkah Miracle 

“The miracle of the first day was expressed in the community’s willingness to light a small cruse of oil without reasonable assurance that their efforts would be sufficient to complete the rededication of the Temple.” – Rabbi David Hartman  

On the surface, it feels like Hanukkah should be just a seven-day holiday.  

Just imagine you are a Maccabee. After fighting the Syrian Greeks for months, you have finally recaptured the Temple in Jerusalem, and you yearn to reestablish the rituals of worship.  In the chaos and mess left behind, you uncover only one cruse of pure oil to light the menorah. Should you use the defiled oil you have around in excess instead? Or should you stay true to the ancient laws and traditions for which you have been tirelessly fighting?   
 
You have one day’s worth of oil to fuel the rededication of the Temple; that first day of light is a guarantee. Yet somehow, miraculously, this small amount of oil burns for an extra day, and then two and three more days… and ultimately a whopping seven days beyond what anyone would have expected. Each new day presents a miracle of unexpected possibility, where human agency meets spiritual connection. 
 
To this day, we honor the ancient miracle of unexpected, sustained light by kindling the newest candle first with the shamash, or helper candle.  In this way, we emphasize the miracle of each new night of Hanukkah by lighting the newest candle before the others. Practically speaking, we load our hanukkiah with candles from right to left, but we light them from left to right.  Each night we honor the nisim, the miracles, of our ancestors through the way we light the candles, the words of the blessings we sing, the spinning of dreidels with nun that stands for nes, miracle, and through the way we approach the miracles in our own lives.  
 
So, then, going back to my original question, why isn’t Hanukkah just seven nights? Wasn’t the first night of oil a given and the miracle only ensued on nights two through seven? 
 
Perhaps, as Rabbi David Hartman emphasized in the quote above, the first night had its own miracle.  And that was that a group of worn-down Jewish people decided that despite a low likelihood of success, they were still going to choose to ignite their traditions and sustain their community. On the first night of Hanukkah, we celebrate the audacity, the faith, and the resilience of our ancestors in their decision to go all in on the rededication of the Temple with only a small amount of fuel.  
 
Yes, there is so much we don’t know about what tomorrow will bring. And as a result, it is easy to hold back in the boldness of our actions in the face of so many “what ifs.” What if this treatment doesn’t work? What if I fly to visit my loved one and it doesn’t help? What if the little I can give doesn’t have the impact I had hope for? One of the profound lessons of Hanukkah is that only action can spark a miracle and sustain a holy community.  
 
As we approach the holiday of Hanukkah, may we light the first light with the courage of our ancestors. And with it, may we find ourselves on the path to healing, to holiness, and to illumination wherever our tomorrows may take us together. 
 
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Urim Sameach – wishing you and your family a bright and joyful holiday! 

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Coming Up!

Singing + Sufganiyot Soirée
Thursday, Dec 26th 6:00p to 9:00p
Join the HEA Young Adult Crew, Moishe Pod City Park, base and Rahmana for a fun and spiritual Hanukkah celebration. This event is free!

Hanukkah Bash
Sunday, Dec 29th 5:00p to 6:30p
Join your HEA family for a creative latke experience where the latkes are unique, and the votes are cast by YOU. We will have crafts for the kids, a puppet show featuring Michael Wurzman at 5:30 p.m., candle lighting and songs, a sufganyot experiment, dreidels, blanket-making for a shelter, gelt, and much more! $10 per member family, $20 non-member family. Or, $5 per member individual; $10 per non-member individual.

Listening Tour
Tuesday, Jan 7th 7:00p to 8:30p
Small gatherings at the homes of members to get to know the HEA leadership, ask questions, and share your vision of HEA.

Monthly Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Shulman
Wednesday, Jan 8th 12:00p to 1:00p
A curriculum on Judaism and Jewish identity based on traditional sources and the teachings of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. Topics include Identity, Prayer, Study, Mitzvot, Tzedakah, Chesed, Faith, Israel, Kiddush Hashem, and the Jewish future.

Movie Night: Seven Blessings
Thursday, Jan 9th 6:30p to 8:30p
Seven Blessings revolves around an eventful Jewish Moroccan family wedding and the traditional blessings that are pronounced during the ceremony, again at the reception, and then again for the next seven nights with loved ones hosting special dinners in the couple’s honor. Behind the facade of joie de vivre and togetherness, there are secrets, lies, and a painful old wound that forces them to confront the past, while wrecking the present, all entwined in this acclaimed story about fury, forgiveness, and food. NOTE: This is a screening of a film that is not yet released, therefore there is a charge for this film.

Tot Shabbat
Shabbat, Jan 11th 10:45a to 12:00p
A fun and spirited playtime and Tot Shabbat service.

Hochmat Nashim: Women’s Torah Study Group
Sunday, Jan 12th 6:30p to 8:00p
Join a vibrant group of Jewish women led by Rabbi Shulman and Gitit Kaufman for a meaningful evening of engagement with Torah and one another.

Life & Legacy Ed Series: Death & Dying
Wednesday, Jan 15th 12:00p to 1:30p
If you watched last year’s movie, Barbie, or even the trailer, the moment when Barbie asks her friends, “do you guys ever think about dying?”, is both hilarious and cringeworthy. It’s not every day we talk about or even think about death. And when we do, it’s rarely about our own mortality! This program is designed to help people be less afraid of death, sharing insights and approaches on how to have those difficult conversations. With guest speaker, Jamie Sarche. $10 for HEA Members, $15 for Non-Members.

An Evening of Paint Gem
Wednesday, Jan 15th 7:00p to 8:30p
Join the next ladies-out program, designed for ages 30-50, for an evening of relaxation as we paint with gems and schmooze. We will have several different designs to follow, with all the gems and applicators available that evening, along with wine and cheese of course. Cost is $10 member, $20 non-member.

Adult Beginning Hebrew Class
Sunday, Jan 26th 11:00a to 12:00p
This eight-week course is intended for the new or novice Hebrew student. The is no cost for this class for HEA members, but you must register below and pay a $15 book fee. $40 for non-members. The course is taught by Jessica Weber.