April 2024 - How Can We Celebrate the Passover This Year?

Last month I raised this question referring to Purim. Now we look for meaning in a holiday that represents redemption in a time when freedom for some is not at hand.

The story of Passover is written in the first person and the Haggadah is a mirror. We see ourselves in it, as we are supposed to, and we tell the story to our children. As we swim in history at the seder, we will question (not just those 4!), we will sing as the Israelites did at the Sea of Reeds, and we will praise (Dayenu!) our Creator.

We also wonder how to experience redemption when some of us remain as hostages. When have we needed Hatikvah, hope, more than right now? Hope has been the key to Jewish survival and it will always be, even now. The story of the Exodus embraces Divine power and we need to keep exercising our own power by donating, praying, and working toward peace.

Another thing we might do is to add a symbol of hope to our seder plate. Think of something you could add to yours. Bring your ideas to our Congregational Seder on Tuesday, April 23. Be sure to RSVP promptly and reserve your seat. We will be using a new Haggadah this year, too, and it will be a history-filled, song-filled, food-filled evening. I look forward to seeing you there!

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena

March 2024 - How Can We Celebrate Purim This Year?

Friends, our hearts still ache, 5 months after October 7th. Yet, Purim will be here very soon and it is a commandment to celebrate and to be happy! Yes, the first blessing I will chant at our Megillah reading says we are commanded to read the story of Esther and to rejoice. Today? How?

Do you remember when I wrote about how the bar and bat mitzvahs still took place in Israel, even a week after 10/7? And how I described the young women going to the base and organizing pop-up weddings with their intendeds? Consider this too: Elie Wiesel reminded us that they joyfully celebrated Simchat Torah in the concentration camps.  

Purim is a silly time, and things are all topsy-turvy. Even the chanting melody for The Book of Esther is such that the end of a sentence sounds unfinished, like it should keep going, and the comma after a phrase in the middle of a sentence sounds like it is finished and at a stopping point. And we should get so tipsy that we don’t know the difference between Mordechai and Haman! Oy!

While we acknowledge our sorrow and frustration with the world situation, we need to find joy – perhaps a bit tempered, but joy,  nonetheless. I know we can, and we will. We will also keep doing everything we can to work toward peace, in small and large ways. 

B’shalom,

Cantor Rena 

February 2024 - A Holy Sanctuary

You may think that the purpose of the Exodus was the liberation of the Hebrew slaves, but it was more than that. It was also the establishment of a physical existence in which God would reign. At the center of that existence would be the Tabernacle, the mishkan, the portable sanctuary. In this way, God’s presence would dwell in the midst of the people as they journeyed through the desert. The Torah outlines specifically what special donations the people should make and how to build it.

This week we are reading in Exodus of God’s instructions to the people to build this sanctuary so that God may dwell among them. Listen to my setting of this Hebrew verse, “V’asu Li Mikdash…” HERE.

As beautiful as many sanctuaries are, including ours at BSJC, we know it is not really the physical PLACE where we find God, but the space within our hearts where God dwells. Coming together in community in warm, beautiful surroundings such as ours, allows us to let God in.

I had a friend who lived way out in the country and who wanted to say Kaddish for his father (before Covid and zoom), but he was unable to attend a synagogue. I asked him, “So, what do you do?” He described how he goes out into the woods with his siddur, where the tall trees and nature are his minyan, and he feels very connected to God and to the memory of his father. He made his own sanctuary and God certainly did dwell within him there.

We will come together in our virtual sanctuary this Friday, February 16 at 7:00 pm, for our Zoom Kabbalat Shabbat service, and we will welcome the Rabbi with whom I worked in Poughkeepsie, NY, before I moved here, Rabbi Neal J. Loevinger. His topic, “New Thinking in Medical Ethics:  Brain Death and Organ Donation in American and Jewish Law,” promises to be fascinating and informative. He is a good friend and an inspiring Rabbi and we are very fortunate to host him. Be sure to join us.

B'shalom,
Cantor Rena

January 2024 - New Year, New Light

As we enter the new secular year, we continue to pray for the release of the hostages and for peace, as we also try to find the light within what has occurred. We have experienced much hope coming together for Shabbat and holidays, as well as so many expressions of comfort and strength from our neighbors here in Ambridge. 

The world feels confusing. Yet, we have the power within our hands to direct our future, one filled with potential and opportunities. Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, of blessed memory, said, “Our future is unpredictable because it is made by us and we are free…I urge you to do one totally unpredictable act of kindness today and show someone that the world is a little better than they thought it was going to be.” That suggestion will certainly bring light into someone’s day.

You have been instrumental in bringing light to our community in so many ways: Showing up at services, volunteering to help with projects both inside our shul and in the greater community, cooking and baking, donating to BSJC and beyond, and asking what you can do at this challenging time. We are strong and grateful. As the days begin to get a little bit longer, the world’s light will increase. May it bring understanding, love and peace. 

B'Shalom,
Cantor Rena

December 2023

As we have been saying, it’s not only the darkest time of the year; we are living out one of the darkest moments of Jewish history. Yet our history is long and Jewish resilience is often wondrous.

Here we are now, celebrating Chanukah, the festival of lights. With the lighting of the first candle, we pierce the darkness with a spark that can brighten a room and our hearts. As we increase the candles and lights each night we are reaffirming our hope and faith by upholding the flame of Judaism and preserving our Jewish culture and its traditions for future generations, as our parents did for us. Think back on the special, warm Chanukah memories of observances in your home when you were growing up.

We will experience a Chanukah Retrospective at our Third Friday Zoom Shabbat service on December 15 at 7pm.  What do these things have in common: A story about a bird named Dreidel, a Chanukah song in Ladino, and a Latke message about feeding the hungry?  They are all part of our Kabbalat Shabbat service on December 15. Zoom in, be enlightened, and share in the joy. Happy Chanukah! 

B'shalom,
Cantor Rena

Lo Yisa Goy

Listen to the song “Lo Yisa Goy” below as we prepare for our Evening of Prayer.

October 2023 - Am Yisrael Chai!

As we reel from the horrific events in Israel these past 10 days, we ask what can we do here, so far away from our brothers and sisters over there. Certainly we must continue to make donations to support the many organizations providing help. We have compiled a list of suggestions for you and we are adding to it as time goes on. We include resources for self-care, should you need them.
 
There are other things we can do, too: just be Jewish. Yes! How? Attend services. As I always say, we keep the (Eternal) light on for you. Register for a workshop or class (Jewish Federation here in Pittsburgh has many offerings). Visit Jewish websites (My Jewish Learning, Aish, Ritual Well, etc.). Light Shabbat candles — now is a good time to start if you haven’t yet. Bake a challah on a Friday afternoon. Reach out to friends, share your feelings, and do these things together.  
 
One special service to attend would be our Third Friday Zoom service on October 20 at 7pm. My friend Beth Hamon will be our guest sharing music and wisdom about the Noah story. Check your E-News for her Bio and background info. She is quite an accomplished musician!
 
Sometimes it’s the small everyday things that can make a difference and cause a shift in the landscape of people’s impressions of Judaism. And these activities help keep us focused on what’s important. Just do them, and do them often. Every single bit matters to keep Judaism alive and thriving in this world today. Am Yisrael chai! 

September 2023

I am so looking forward to seeing everyone at the synagogue for our High Holiday services this year! As you know, the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat and, as such, we add insertions for Shabbat and we omit others. We do not blow the shofar on Shabbat, but you will certainly hear the shofar on the second day at our new Family Service, on Sunday. 
 
It is a Rabbinic tradition not to blow the shofar on the Sabbath, not a Torah prohibition. One of the reasons is that we don’t want anyone to think that we carried the shofar to the synagogue on Shabbat, as that is a prohibition. Even if we brought it in the day before and left it there, it might look like it was carried in on Shabbat, and so to avoid the awkwardness of not knowing and not wanting to ask, lest we embarrass anyone, we just do not blow it. Be sure to attend on Sunday to hear the shofar and to participate in our newly created service and Machzor for that day.
 
Our Yom Kippur afternoon service, from 4pm-6pm, will include a special segment entitled, “Hope, Healing, and Hoda’ah (gratitude).” If you don’t know how a marble, a bridge, and a partner of God go together, you will find out. Through story, song, prayer and anecdote we will journey through the last hours of the holidays together, concluding with Havdalah and a Break Fast. 
 
Shana tova tikateivu. May you be inscribed for a good year.
 
B’shalom,
Cantor Rena

August 2023 - See You in September

One of the phrases which comes out of my mouth very often is, “I know a song about that!” For several months now I have been preparing for the High Holidays, and I do know a lot of songs about them. So do you! We’re getting ready to sing about apples and honey, about the shofar, and about Avinu Malkeinu, about God who is King, and to wish each other a sweet new year. All of this reminds me of the title of that song, “See You in September.”

This year it will be especially sweet as we all return to the synagogue and say together, “The great shofar is sounded, and a still small voice is heard.” This year we do not blow the Shofar on the first day of Rosh Hashanah since it is Shabbat, although we will talk about it and read the relevant prayers. This year we have the opportunity to listen to the silence as we cross the threshold into the new year. That silence can be powerful and stirring, as we hear the still, small voice. Whose voice is that? Is it God telling us to own up to our shortcomings and to do better? Is it our own voice, our conscience, telling us to fix what is broken? Is it the voice of our community or beyond asking for us to help our neighbors near and far?  

Then on the second day, Sunday, when we have our new Family service, which is really for all of us, regardless of age, we will blow the shofar and perhaps have a different experience, equally meaningful. There are many ways to access the work we need to do and I invite you to use all of the pathways that our tradition offers.

One more way is to perform Tashlich, symbolically casting our sins into the waters, on the second day after our congregational luncheon. Bring your stale bread and join us as we walk a few blocks to the water together and say or sing the prayers.  

I look forward to seeing you in September, as the song goes, and to celebrating the return to synagogue, to God, and to one another. It’s never too early to wish you a Shana Tova, a happy new year!

B’shalom,
Cantor Rena

(June 2023) “Take Me Home, to the Place I Belong”

(June 28, 2023) We are instructed in the Torah about the Ner Tamid, the Eternal Lamp, which burns perpetually in the synagogue near the holy ark (which houses the Torah).  God told Moses that a lamp filled with pure oil should always burn in the Tabernacle, and we know that every synagogue and temple today has such a lamp, usually over or near the aron hakodesh, the holy ark.  Ours is a beautiful artistic lamp resembling the Burning Bush hanging right in front of the ark in our Beth Samuel sanctuary.  

The Ner Tamid represents God’s eternal presence and the covenant with the Jewish people.  It is the symbol of the light of Torah and the spark of light which burns in all of our hearts.  These sparks are passed down through the generations as teachings and life lessons, as well as cherished rituals and traditions.  

Over these last few months we have been coming back to the synagogue for social events and more in-person services.  We have seen a welcome return to our building and to our friends, and we have been making adjustments, as we happily anticipate this trend to continue.  It’s been a long few years with the pandemic, and as we come out of it, may we continue this journey home to our beloved synagogue together. 

Remember, the light is always on!
B’shalom,
Cantor Rena 

Celebrating Israel at 75 (May 2023)

(May 2, 2023) We are in the Hebrew month of Iyar and that brings several special days for Israel and for us. Last week we observed Yom Hazikaron, the day of remembrance in Israel to commemorate all of the soldiers and people who lost their lives during the struggle to defend the State of Israel. It was a solemn day marked by moments of silence and ceremonies.

This was followed the next day by Yom Ha’atzma’ut, commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1948. Israel celebrated with concerts, picnics, fireworks and more. And so, we go from remembering to joyously celebrating.

Since this is Israel’s 75th year, we mark this moment in a special way, as we do for all milestone anniversaries. All over there are programs, concerts, and presentations of all sorts. Here at Beth Samuel we are observing this anniversary, too. In March, Cantor Dr. Janet Roth beautifully presented our first program on the Seven Species of the Land of Israel in words and song.

Tomorrow night is our second program, May 3 at 7PM on Zoom, as we welcome back Rahel Musleah, who will describe one family’s journey from India to Israel. She is a delightful storyteller, singer, writer, and educator and this program has received accolades and high praise from literally around the world! We are so grateful to Rahel for fitting us into her hectic professional and travel schedule. I’m sure you will be enlightened with her presentation.

Later this month we will welcome the IDF veterans for a Shabbat evening sponsored by Barb and Sandy Zell. What a fitting continuation of honoring Israel. Check your E-News for details and celebrate Israel at 75 with us!

B’shalom,

Cantor Rena

Our Precious Inheritance

Our friend and teacher, Rabbi Judith Edelstein, will be joining us on zoom for our third Friday Kabbalat Shabbat service on April 21st at 7pm. We fondly remember her visit to Beth Samuel in person a few years ago, when she taught us about Mussar, a way of self-examination and of relating to others with inspiration, dignity, and compassion.
 
This time Rabbi Judith will be talking about the Torah, and if you think you already know a lot about what the Torah is and what it means, you will learn even more. 
 
As an introduction to her talk, allow me to quote from Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of the Fathers, which is a compilation of ethical sayings by which we should live our lives. One of the Rabbis, who actually has a kind of funny name, Rabbi Yochanan ben Bag Bag, taught, “Study the Torah;  turn it and turn it over and over again, for everything is in it.” What he meant is that the Torah is a complete guide to life, and that you should study it, even into old age.
 
When we read the Torah each week and learn something new from it, or when we connect its relevance to us today, we are turning and turning the Torah over and over, further opening our eyes to its lessons. When we return the Torah to the ark we say, “Eitz chayim he, the Torah is a precious inheritance, a tree of life...and all its paths are peace.”
 
Be sure to join us on Friday, April 21 at 7pm for our short Kabbalat Shabbat service and to welcome back Rabbi Judith (virtually) to our community. She will teach us more about this precious inheritance in her “Dive Into Torah” and I know we will each learn something new. 
 
B’shalom,
Cantor Rena

75 Years of Statehood! (March 2023 Part 2)

This year Israel celebrates 75 years of statehood! Israeli Independence Day is designated to be on the 5th day of the month of Iyar. On May 14, 1948 (5 Iyar), David Ben Gurion publicly read the Israeli Declaration of Independence. In Israel and outside of Israel, people celebrate Israeli Independence Day with fireworks, parties, concerts, and so on, and this year, on May 14, 2023, it promises to be huge.
 
In fact, many places have been celebrating this milestone the whole year, 5783, with teachings, lectures, and programs of all sorts. We are participating in this notable event with 2 programs this spring, one next week and another in May.
 
On Monday, March 27 at 7PM (on Zoom) we will welcome my friend Cantor Dr. Janet Ilene Roth. She and I have sung together for many years at the Jewish Choral Festival in July, where we also teach. She will offer a delightful exploration of the “Seven Species of the Land of Israel” through text, song, and taste. 
 
Cantor Janet’s extensive and remarkable bio was in the E-News and her presentation style is equally impressive, as you will see. This is going to be a wonderful program as we swing into spring and celebrate Israel. There are food ingredients you may gather beforehand if you would like to make the recipe, and even without doing that part, I’m sure you will learn a lot and enjoy. So zoom on in and let’s celebrate together!
 
B’shalom,
Cantor Rena

“If you used to go to synagogue and haven’t lately, you are missing the chance to sing together, pray together, eat together and rediscover a soulfulness that is nourishing and sacred. We miss you.”

— Rabbi David Wolpe

Celebrating Shabbat Together (March 2023 Pt 1)

We recently read these words in the Torah:  v’shamru...et hashabbat... la’asot et hashabbat.”  The words are familiar because they are also in our siddur and we sing them on Friday night and Saturday morning at our services.  Here the people of Israel are instructed to observe the Sabbath and to “make” or “do” the Sabbath.  So how are we supposed to DO Shabbat? 
 
Too often Shabbat gets a bad rap because it has so many restrictions, that is, so many things we are told NOT to do, like plowing, baking, building, sewing, and so on.  To counteract this perception, we should stress how to  actively “do” Shabbat, and there are many ways: recite Kiddush over the wine on Friday night, light the Shabbat candles, eat a special Shabbat meal, attend prayer services, and recite Havdalah on Saturday night, to name a few.  We celebrate Shabbat together and turn Shabbat into a lovely, holy day, rather than a day of denial.
 
This is exactly what we will do at 6PM this Friday night, March 17, at Shabbat Across America at Beth Samuel.  We will gather, say prayers and blessings, enjoy a delicious potluck dinner and experience a small treasure trove of music and stories for Shabbat.  RSVP using the button above and join me and your fellow congregants for a delightful Shabbat!
 
B’shalom,
Cantor Rena 

The Blessing of Being Intentional (February 2023)

What is the purpose of blessings? Our blessings usually begin with “Blessed are You, Adonai, Sovereign of the universe, for...” and we continue with the particular message of gratitude for God’s gift of life, food, well being, a rainbow, or whatever the instance is. Take the example of an apple or a piece of fruit, which we eat any time and especially on Tu B’Shevat (which we just celebrated yesterday), the Festival of the Trees. Do you say a blessing before you eat one?

Tu B’Shevat has evolved into a sacred celebration of nature, acknowledging with appreciation and gratitude for the fruit of the trees that help nurture and sustain us. The blessing extends beyond the simple act of eating a piece of fruit. Its intention is to stop us from eating without thinking, and this reminds me of a true story.
 
A friend once told me that she had missed breakfast that morning. When I asked if I could get her a bagel and some juice, she said no, that she had eaten breakfast but was in such a rush that she forgot she did it and “missed” it. She never smelled the aroma of her coffee and didn’t taste the sweet apricot jam on her toast. It seemed  to have disappeared from her memory of the morning.  
 
What does this teach us? Sometimes we have to slow down and experience what we are doing, rather than just go on autopilot and plow through unconsciously. A blessing first will heighten our senses to the process and maybe we won’t “miss” it. So next time you take a bit into an apple, say the blessing first, and then enjoy its color and aroma, hear the crunch, savor the flavor and really taste the fruit. Even after Tu B’Shevat!
 
Reminder: Zoom into my friend Dr. Dick Daffner’s fascinating presentation on the “Rightly Forgotten” tomorrow, Wednesday, February 8 at 7pm. See the E-News for a description.
 
And: Have you ever wondered how the Israelites made those curtains, coverings, and tapestries for the mishkan, all while traveling through the desert? My colleague Emily Howard Meyer, our guest on the Third Friday Zoom Shabbat service on Friday, February 17 at 7pm, will enlighten us!
 
B’shalom,
Cantor Rena

Chazak, Chazak, Chazak! (January 2023)

Last week we read the final portion of the Book of Genesis in the Torah, and this week we begin the Book of Exodus. Each time we complete one of the Books of the Torah it is a special moment and we say, “Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek, be strong and we shall be strengthened.” Where did this come from? Two sources.
 
In the beginning of the Book of Joshua, God encourages Joshua by telling him to be strong and resolute (chazak ve’ematz), to observe faithfully all the teachings of Moses, and to recite them (i.e., study Torah) every day. The Midrash says that Joshua was actually holding the Torah scroll and as he completed it, God told him, “Chazak!”  
 
In addition, chazak v’nitchazek is an expression from the Book of Samuel. The two examples represent a slight change of wording but the message is the same. 
 
We say the phrase 3 times, as you know, and that is perhaps because, as the sources suggest, when you add up the numerical value of the 3 words it equals that of the name of Moses.
 
We use this phrase when we reach transformative moments such as these, and they can be used for any celebration of completion. Hanna Tiferet has written a joyous song of celebration, Chazak Chazak, for just such a moment and you can hear me sing it HERE. We often sing it during our Saturday service when we reach the end of one of the Books of the Torah, so it may be familiar to you.
 
Mark your calendars for another in our outstanding series of Third Friday Zoom Shabbat services at 7pm, on January 20, when my friend and colleague (and former seminary student) Cantor Lois Kittner will be joining us. Cantor Lois is a delightful, multi-talented Cantor and musician who will offer a short meditation on the parsha, and I am sure her warm and bright presence will be spiritually uplifting.
 
B’shalom,
Cantor Rena

March 2020

This past January, we marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation from Auschwitz.  Unlike Yom Hashoah, when Jews mark the day to remember the Holocaust, this date, mandated by the United Nations as International Holocaust Memorial Day, was observed by all.   World leaders converged in Jerusalem and commemorations took place all over the world.
 
   Soon, in April, we will be observing Yom Hashoah, and so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity in this season to offer a Spring Adult Ed session on music from this period. 
 
   The impulse to express oneself through music is not easily suppressed, and for Jews trapped in Europe during the Nazi Holocaust, music was a means of expressing both anguish and hope, and a means of maintaining one’s humanity.  The composers of the poems and songs were murdered, but their music lives on, and it speaks to us today.
 
   A violin maker in Israel has begun to restore instruments that came from that period.  Through a project called “Violins of Hope,” these instruments are being repaired and will be heard in concerts in a world-wide tour over the next several years, bringing new vitality to what was once silenced.
 
   On Sunday, March 15, 2020 at 10am, I will present a class entitled “From Vilna to Violins of Hope:  Music of the Holocaust.”  Our task is to never forget, and this will give us a chance to remember.    

February 2020

Over the last several months I have been doing some extra teaching throughout our Saturday morning services.  I have added explanations here and there about some of the traditions and reasons regarding how we move, bending and bowing, call and response, etc.  We have also re-instated the Ashrei prayer, which is probably familiar to many.  It begins, “Ashrei yoshvei veitecha, od yehallelucha sela,” “Happy are those who dwell in your house, they are ever praising You.” 
 
    The verses of Ashrei are arranged alphabetically, which used to be an aid to memorization.  It is now read from the prayer book, responsively, in the morning on weekdays and Shabbat.  This prayer actually occurs a second time toward the end of the morning service, and it begins the mincha  service in the afternoon (as well as the Selichot service).
 
    According to the Talmud, whoever recites this psalm three times daily is assured of his/her place in “olam haba,” the world to come.  The word “ashrei” appears three times in the beginning of the prayer, paralleling the three times a day we recite it.
 
    Great importance has also been attached to this prayer because it includes the statement in verse 16, “Poteach et yadecha...,” “You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing with favor.”  This is said to be our proclamation of God’s care and sustenance of all creatures.  Some people, when they reach this verse, open the palm of their own hand as a symbolic gesture toward heaven and as a sign of receiving abundance from above.
 
    This is the kind of thing I have been mentioning in our Saturday services and the feedback is that it enhances your Shabbat service experience.  So, I invite you to stop in on a Saturday if you haven’t attended lately, and see what interesting things you may learn!  

January 2020

Happy new year.  What?  Didn’t we already say that last September at Rosh Hashanah?  Of course we did, and we have another opportunity to say it now, since January 1st on the secular calendar is also the beginning of a new year.  We have another chance to make resolutions for change, if we would like.  In a sense, we are “dancing at 2 weddings,” as the saying goes, living in both cultures.  Perhaps it is a good thing, to be able to commit to change, growth, and renewal again.
 
   On the first day of Jewish holidays we say a special prayer, the “shehechayanu,” in which we praise God for giving us life, sustaining us, and enabling us to reach this day.  How do we understand this prayer?  It is a prayer of affirmation.  For some of us, we have made it to this point in our lives, and it has been no simple task.  We may not remember the number of birthdays we have accumulated, or the many ways we have ushered in this day in the past.  We may just want to acknowledge that we are alive, to thank God for our lives and the many blessings we have.
 
   As we think about what it took to get us to this point in life, we know that there were many people who supported us and continue to do so.  We are grateful for their presence in our lives, and this is an opportunity to thank them.  Just a little note of gratitude might make their day, as you will see in my example below. 
 
   I often write these articles well in advance, by a month or so in some instances, and as I write this today, it is actually just after Thanksgiving.  So giving thanks may be on my mind.  However, something else just made my day, a few minutes ago.  I got a text from my oldest granddaughter thanking me for the delicious Thanksgiving dinner and for allowing her to stay over at my house for most of the weekend.  (As if I minded!)   She sent a bunch of heart and love Emojis, too.   She is a not the type to send texts other than necessary ones for logistics, etc., so this was truly a rare and special one.  So I will start this new secular year on a high note and I hope you will too.  Happy new year, again!   

December 2019

   “The Power of Light” is one of eight stories for Chanukah, in a collection with the same title, by Isaac Bashevis Singer.  The stories, which are appropriate for all ages, teach the miraculous power of light over evil through Singer’s genius.
 
   Whether Chanukah comes early or late, it really comes just on time every year according to the lunar calendar.  While the dates may change on the secular calendar, the message of Chanukah remains the same.  We celebrate eight days of joy and light, finding strength and hope during the darkest time of the year.  We are struck by the miracle of the tiny cruise of oil, by the strength of the Maccabees, and by the lesson of the prophet Zachariah (4:6) which we read in the Haftarah on Shabbat Chanukah: “Not by might, not by power, but by God’s spirit” (and Debbie Friedman adds “shall we all live in peace”).
 
   There are many references to “light” in our liturgy, and we explored some of those with our guest Cantor Sandy Horowitz last month.  We sang “Bring in the Light,” “Or Zarua La’tsadik, Light is Stored for the Righteous,” and “Roll into Dark, Roll into Light,” to mention a few.  She and I presented a spirited debate by two famous Rabbis, Hillel and Shammai, about the correct way to light the menorah.   
 
   May the powerful lights and miracles of Chanukah comfort and inspire you. According to the Talmud, “The Divine Presence does not rest upon humans through gloom.”  Try to find a spark of brightness amidst all the darkness this month.  The best way to struggle against darkness is to bask in the light of God.  Let the candles of your menorah shine in the window for others to see.  In bringing light to others, we can all shine in God’s reflected glory.  Happy Chanukah!  And don’t worry if you spell it Chanukah, Hanukkah, or any other way, each is correct!  After all, it’s Hebrew!  
 

L’hitra’ot, until next time!