Chanuka

December 7, 2023

Serious Chanukkah: Cultural Integration, Freedom, War and Power Then and Now

I love Purim and Chanukkah. It’s true that these are not the major Jewish chagim, and not in some sense as important as Passover/Pesach. But I have come to love them more and more because they are set in worlds I recognize as more contemporary than the major festivals. Their stories have more texture… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Equality, Ethics, Freedom, Gaza, History, Holidays, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Israel, Jerusalem, Justice, Leadership, Power, Talmud, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
December 1, 2023

Jews and Power

This is my current draft of my D'var Torah for Shabbat, December 2, 2023, Parashat Vayishlach and the Shabbat before Chanukkah 5784. Yocheved Lifshitz is an 85-year-old Israeli who was one of the first hostages released by Hamas in late October. She and her husband Oded have been coexistence activists from Kibbutz Nir Oz just… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Ethics, Gaza, Holidays, Israel, Midrash, Parashat Hashavua, Power, Vayishlach
December 25, 2022

Being One, Being Two, Being Seven, Being Eight

My D'var Torah for Shabbat Chanukkah 5783 (December 24, 2022). A question I often get around Chanukkah is: Is it true that all the candle hae to be at the same level, other than the shamash? Usually the question comes from creativity — someone who wants to repurpose another item as a chanukkiah, or who… Continue reading

Calendar, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Education, Eight, Gratitude, Hakarat Hatov, Holidays, Leadership, Patience, Ritual, Simcha, Study, Synagogue, Talmud, Tikkun Olam, Torah
December 22, 2022

This Chanukkah — Many Ideas

I am still trying to keep on top of my many channels, between this blog and the Tov! podcast and Temple Beth Abraham's site and blog, not to mention social media. (Not complaining!) I haven't put a link here yet to the many thematic Chanukkah-related writings I've got, some of them reposts from prior years and… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Freedom, History, Holidays, Hope, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Jerusalem, Joy, Justice, Peace, Ritual, Spirituality, Study, Tikkun Olam, Torah, USA, Young Jewish Adult, Youth
December 5, 2022

Hope, Chanukkah, and the Dreidel

This is one version of a D'var Torah I have given in a few variations at different times, around Chanukkah and even once on Rosh Hashanah! I have only a couple of Chanukkah sermons, and in fact you may have heard me give a version of this in years past and even on a Rosh… Continue reading

Calendar, Chanuka, Chanukkah, Current Affairs, History, Holidays, Hope, Joy, Patience, Prayer, Shabbat, Synagogue, Temple Beth Abraham, Tikkun Olam
December 21, 2020

Dreaming of Better Than Normal

(Photo: deviantart.com) This is the Dvar Torah I gave on Saturday, December 19, 2020. It was the Shabbat immediately following Chanukkah. Today is what I call the ninth day of Chanukkah. What do we see after we have finished lighting a full chanukkiah? Do we keep an afterimage, do we see in our mind’s eye… Continue reading

Calendar, Chanuka, Coronavirus, Current Affairs, Holidays, Hope, Leadership, Miketz, Parashat Hashavua, Temple Beth Abraham, Tikkun Olam, USA
December 13, 2020

The Chanukkah Dreidel: Four Ways to Hope

I have only a couple of Chanukkah sermons, and in fact you heard a version of this just a few months ago at Rosh Hashanah. I want to talk about hope, through the lens of Chanukkah. I think we can learn about hope from the dreidel – nun נ, gimel ג, hay ה, shin ש.… Continue reading

Calendar, Chanuka, Current Affairs, History, Holidays, Hope, Prayer, Ritual, Spirituality, Tikkun Olam, Torah
December 7, 2020

Chanukkah — An Adult Festival About Today

You’ve probably heard over and over that Chanukkah is a “minor” holy day. Something we make a big deal about especially in modern America – something especially for Jewish children in a Christmas-saturated environment. It’s true, Chanukkah is no Passover. But in fact, it’s not a new thing, this question about how significant Chanukkah really… Continue reading

Calendar, Chanuka, Current Affairs, Freedom, History, Holidays, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Talmud, USA
December 17, 2019

Embracing Chanukkah

This was my column in the December 2019 bulletin for Temple Beth Abraham: I love Chanukkah. I love the row of chanukkiot, the special menorahs, set up by the window for each member of the family. Just the simplicity of light and then a bit more light every day, with a bit of color, and… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Chanuka, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Eight, Freedom, History, Holidays, Interfaith Dialogue, Israel, Jerusalem, Jewish Education, USA
November 26, 2018

Chanukkah Is About Today

Each year in the Temple Beth Abraham bulletin I tend to write about the same thing at this time of year. This is as good as I've done so far in articulating why Chanukkah is important, and why it is important for American Jews at this holiday season. This is my December column: You’ve probably… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Chanuka, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Freedom, History, Holidays, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Israel, Jerusalem, Money, Peace, Spirituality, Study, Tikkun Olam, Tzedek, USA, Youth
November 26, 2018

Christmas Season Tips for Public Educators

Feel free to repost and forward this widely. I have a version of the exact same thing in a Word doc here as well. With Thanksgiving just behind us, the Christmas season seems already in full swing. Did you know that in New Hampshire, only 60% of adults identify as Christian? About 5-10% identify specifically… Continue reading

Antisemitism, Calendar, Chanuka, Community Relations, Current Affairs, Freedom, Holidays, Inclusion, Interfaith Dialogue, Peace, Teacher-Student Relationship, Tikkun Olam, USA, Youth
December 12, 2017

New Page About Chanukkah

I just posted a whole page about Chanukkah (including why I'm spelling it that way….) http://rabbijon.net/rabbijon/chanukkah.html Continue reading

Chanuka, Holidays