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December 11, 1998/ 22 Kislev 5759, Vol. 51, No. 12
Holiday deeds light the way to the future
RABBI JEROME M. EPSTEIN
Special to Jewish News
When we light the candles on Hanukkah, one additional candle each night, we are, in effect, setting up a public display. Placing our menorah in front of a window - or in a spot likely to be seen from the street - we make a public statement. We announce that thanks to the valor of the Maccabees, our Temple was not profaned. Thanks to the miracle of the oil which lasted for eight days, our unique identity was preserved.
Public statements are important - but so too are private affirmations. Showing the non-Jewish world that we cherish our history and traditions is important, but so too is demonstrating this same fact to ourselves and our families.
The real miracle of Hanukkah is one of Jewish commitment. If the Maccabees, in their day, served as role models, then we, in our own day, must be role models as well. It is only in this way that we will keep the miracle of Hanukkah alive. Just as Hanukkah teaches about the rededication of the Temple, we can rededicate ourselves to supporting our synagogues and revitalizing the organized Jewish religious community. Resolving to take greater advantage of educational offerings in our congregations and to make ourselves more readily available for communal prayer, we can create the kind of positive role models needed to inspire our children and grandchildren.
It is not sufficient that our synagogues offer opportunities for us to learn and to grow if we do not take advantage of these resources to enrich our own lives. Rededication is as vital for the individual as it is for the group. Many religious observances transcend the boundaries of the synagogue. Thus, our commitment to rededication must be both personal and communal.
Hanukkah also celebrates the phenomenon of political activism. We can keep that tradition alive in many ways. For example, we can circulate petitions urging the American government to take some action to stop the murder of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. Or, we can send letters and telegrams - or visit our local consulate - to expressing continued support for the peace process or urge that attention be paid to the plight of the Falas Mura in Ethiopia, still dreaming of making their way to the Jewish State.
The holiday of Hanukkah has come to be identified with gift-giving, and the sharing of gifts is a wonderful way to express affection and demonstrate generosity. But does that make the giver a role model? It can, depending on the nature of the gift and the spirit in which it is given. We may choose to give of our money - endowing worthwhile causes, contributing food or clothing to a homeless shelter, donating toys to children living in centers for battered wives - or of our time - teaching our children about the holiday, visiting a facility for the blind and reading books aloud, or helping to build houses for the homeless. By ensuring that those we have the power to influence are invited to share in these mitzvot (good deeds), we perpetuate important Jewish values and keep the Judaism we cherish from becoming simply a historical memory.
This year, as we light each candle on our menorah, let us also ignite a spark within ourselves and our families as we commit to undertake the performance of mitzvot. We won't all choose the same ones, nor will we start from, or arrive at, the same level of observance. Nevertheless, much of our history is built on a recognition of, and appreciation for, those who struggled to maintain our unique way of life. We are all capable of contributing to that worthy cause. Let the lighting of each candle seal our commitment.
Rabbi Jerome Epstein is executive vice president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the association of Conservative congregations in North America.
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