December 2023/January 2024 Clergy Column

It’s wintertime and the world (at least the Northern Hemisphere) is dark and cold. Just when the bleakness, cold and darkness seem to be winning the battle, we are instructed to light a candle, two, three, increasing the light inside as a way of banishing the darkness outside.

This is such an important metaphor for our times. It is all too easy to let the darkness in our world overwhelm us. And this time of year can feel even more dark and isolating for so many.

Did you know that Judaism commands us to be joyful? Psalm 100 instructs us to serve Adonai with joy! This is even true when we are feeling overcome with sadness. We should do our best to find a small glint of joy. One way to do this is by joining your small light with the light of another person. Take a risk and reach out through the darkness to another person. Perhaps this is someone you’ve recently met and would like to get to know better. Or maybe reconnect with someone you’ve lost touch with. Reignite that relationship.

The popular Chanukah song Banu Choshech beautifully depicts this act of optimism and joy in the face of darkness:

Banu choshech legaresh, b’yadeinu ohr va’eish
Kol echad hu ohr katan
Kulanu ohr eitan!

We have come to drive away the darkness
In our hands is light and fire.
Each one of us is a small flame
But all of us together will light up the darkness like a mighty torch!

So, make sure to eat lots of yummy, fried food and chocolate. Get cozy and warm, light your Chanukah candles and bring some light into our darkened world. Let’s do it together!

Marcel, Ella, Sam and I wish all of you a wonderful and light-filled Chanukah.

Cantor Jaime Shpall
cantor_shpall@betham.org