This year, unlike many others, it seems like a challenge to embrace the spirit of Chanukah. The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, worry about hostages still left in Gaza, and most palpably, here in America, the worrisome rise of antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric has for many, made it harder to focus on the joy and meaning of the Jewish holiday.
Yet no holiday could be more emblematic of our times and our need for finding peace. The eight-day festival is meant to commemorate the resolve and faith of the Maccabees as they struggled to protect the temple and its ner tamid (“eternal light”) from being extinguished by the Greeks. In our yearly recounting of the story, it was a miracle from God—not just human perseverance—that ensured their success.
Oftentimes, I find myself wondering what it was like for the Jews of ancient Israel as they faced the antagonism around them. What strengths did they draw upon? What memories took precedence in moments of struggle and feelings of…