By Michael Horowitz, JFGA President/CEO

Chanukah is not a holiday with roots in the Torah. It is not a holiday that requires sacrifice or a change in the rituals of daily life. Rather, it is a holiday of celebration. Contrary to the belief of many, it is also not a holiday invented by Jews to respond to the commercialization of Christmas and as an outlet for their children.

Chanukah celebrates the capture and rededication of the Holy Temple (The Second Temple) in 140 BCE by the Maccabees, a small Jewish army, who took up arms against the powerful Greek army who had conquered Jerusalem in 313 BCE, almost two hundred years before.

While the Greeks and some Jewish followers (The Hellenic Jews) actually allowed, and even embraced certain aspects of the Jewish faith, by the time of the Maccabees, they had so diluted the allowable practices of Jews (no Brit Milah, no Torah learning, no Shabbat, denunciation of a single G-d, etc.), the Priestley family of the Hasmonean Mattityahu and his five sons could no longer tolerate the threat to their beliefs and thus, with their supporters, began the uprising by this small army against the powerful Greeks.

While most believe that the miracle of Chanukah was that one day’s worth of oil lasted for eight days, the first and most impressive miracle was that this passionate group of Jewish idealists and purists were able to survive the assault by the powerful Greeks and ultimately regain the Temple and chase the Greeks out of Jerusalem.

To celebrate this unlikely outcome and to remember the miracle of what a few did against so many, the lighting of an eight branch menorah was codified by our Rabbis. Unlike the Shabbat candles, the ritual required that the menorah be located at the front door or front window of the home or another public location to shine a light on the possibilities and hope that can be achieved in even the darkest hours.

Like the Maccabees who found Greek acceptance as their challenge, as we celebrate Chanukah in these modern times, we too struggle with the impact of social acceptance of our identity as Jews and we are concerned about the myriad of issues around the world that seem so dark. But every day we light another bright candle that affirms our ability to overcome the challenges to our Jewish future. That candle may be the Birthright alumni whose connection to Israel was made or connection to their Jewish identity established. It may be the young child whose experience at a Jewish summer camp builds the foundation for their Jewish future. Maybe it’s that family who finds their place in their temple, synagogue or communal space that was warm and welcoming, even though one member of that family may not have been born Jewish.

Lights shine every day from the good deeds we do in helping those in need in Atlanta, fellow Jews in distressed situations throughout the world, or proving the emotional and critical support to our family in Israel as they confront the constant challenges of their difficult neighborhood.

This year, as we celebrate the Festival of Lights, we too should publically display all the wonderful successes we have had and provide inspiration for making our world a better place for all.

Happy Chanukah and Shabbat Shalom,

Michael Horowitz
President/Ceo