Dear all,
The second blessing of Chanukah teaches:
Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, ruler of time and space, who made miracles for our ancestors at this season.
While we often think about the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days – the more significant phenomena was that despite the threat of the Seleucid Greek empire conspiring to exterminate Judaism in ancient Judea in the 2nd entry BCE, we survived.
And over the millennia, time and again, despite the threat of countless others who have forced conversion on us, who have attacked us with pogroms, who have deported us, who have committed genocide on us …. Despite all this, we survived.
Today – once again our light shines ever so brightly. Even the darkness of ignorance will not eclipse our hope, our determination, our integrity. And so, as we kindle our Chanukah menorah each night, we realize that this is our moment in time to stand up against hate, stand out against ignorance, and stand in with our people.
With love and shalom,
Rabbi Zach Shapiro
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