CHANUKAH CORNER
What Does Chanukah Mean to You? by Ben Sandler Education Director Like so many Jewish holidays, traditions, and customs, the celebration of Chanukah has evolved to remain relevant in each unique age. As Jewish people living in North America, many of us experience Chanukah—the season of fried foods!—as a fun celebration with family that both emphasizes our Jewish identity and connects us to our non-Jewish neighbors in kinship with “ugly Chanukah sweaters,” parties, and gift giving. Yet, the tale of the oil lasting for eight nights does not appear in the writings of Maccabees I and II, but later on in the Talmud. Suffice to
say the holiday’s tale and celebration have taken many a twist and turn since 168 B.C.E. when Antiochus sent his soldiers to Jerusalem. One of the holiday songs I would sing as a child is What does Chanukah mean to me? Depending on where you have found yourself over the last couple thousand years, I imagine that answer varies quite a bit! I anticipate that themes of the holiday and modes of observance and celebration will continue to grow and change for each of us personally and as a community. For me, I find connection between the themes of Chanukah and the first amendment of the United States’ Constitution: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Each year when our tenth grade Confirmation class lobbies Congress in
CHANUKAH BEGINS SUNDAY NIGHT, DECEMBER 2
Rabbi Joseph’s Annual Chanukah Open House Sunday, December 9, 4:00 PM You’re Invited to Rabbi Joseph’s Annual Chanukah Open House! Join your fellow CBI members and celebrate Chanukah with Rabbi Joseph on Sunday, December 9 from 4:00–6:00 PM. RSVP to the Main Office at (503) 222-1069 for the address.
Chanukah Care Packages Every year, your WRJ/Beth Israel Sisterhood sends Chanukah and Purim care packages to congregants’ children enrolled in college, graduate school, professional educational programs, and military service. Our students love getting our packages filled with seasonal treats, dreidels and gelt, a student directory, a note from Rabbi Cahana, and more. Parents, please contact Kathleen Doctor by November 12, at KathleenDoctor@me.com with your student’s name, email address, college or branch of service, mailing address, year in school, permission for inclusion in student email directory, and dietary restrictions. We want to make sure everyone is included! This is a free service made possible by the Urman Family College Communication Fund. Donations are always welcome.
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CONGREG ATION BE TH ISR AEL | NOVEMBER /DECEMBER 2018
Washington, D.C., our CBI teens draw from the lessons of our Jewish traditions, as well as from the celebrations, from the joy, from the mazel, of their experiences. In this way, for example, speaking out against xenophobia and speaking up for the rights of all people isn’t just coming from an intellectual place but from a place of joy, of both experience and understanding that all people should have the right to feel safe with their families and neighbors, and to feel a sense of pride in their religious and cultural traditions. In this way the Ner Tamid and lights of Chanukah remind us to keep the flame of Judaism alive, and inspire us to work for and preserve the right of selfdetermination for all people. L’Shalom, Ben
LIGHTING THE CANDLES Candles are added to the Hanukkiyah from right to left, but are kindled from left to right. The newest candle is lit first.
On the Shabbat of Chanukah, kindle the Chanukah lights first and then the Shabbat candles. Light the shamash - the helper candle set higher or lower than all the rest of the candles - first using it to kindle the rest of the Chanukah lights; say or sing: Ba-ruch a-ta Adonai, Eh-lo-hei-nu meh-lech ha-o-lam a-sher ki-d’sha-nu b’mitz-vo-tav v’tzi-va-nu l’had-lik ner shel Hanukka. We praise You, Eternal God, Sovereign of the universe: You make us holy with Your Mitzvot, and command us to kindle the Chanukah lights. Ba-ruch a-ta Adonai, Eh-lo-hei-nu meh-lech ha-o-lam, sheh-a-sa ni-sim la-a-vo-tei-nu/l’i-mo-tei-nu ba-ya-mim ha-heim ba-z’man ha-zeh. We praise You, Eternal God, Sovereign of the universe: You showed wonders to our fathers/mothers in days of old, at this season. On the first night only we add: Ba-ruch a-ta A-do-nai, Eh-lo-hei-nu meh-lech ha-o-lam, she-heh-cheh-ya-nu, v’ki-y’ma-nu, v’higi-anu, la-z’man ha-zeh. We praise You, Eternal God, Sovereign of the universe: who has kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season.
Check our website for recordings of the Chanukah blessings and a few favorite songs of the season! www.bethisrael-pdx.org/worship/sounds-of-cbi/