Dear Friends,
As I write this letter, the joyous festival of Chanukah has just begun. Is it any coincidence that so many global cultures — ours, of course among them — observe winter holidays by kindling flames? The essential message of Chanukah is that great miracles are possible, even in the darkest times.
The four letters on the dreidel, nun, gimel, hey, shin stand for the Hebrew phrase nes gadol hayah sham: A great miracle happened there. This makes sense for a fairly young tradition (dreidel) that developed in the diaspora.
But did you know that it’s possible to find dreidels with other letters written on them? I have one that comes from Israel. That dreidel has a different final letter: peh, which stands for po (“here” instead of “there”). In Israel, folks celebrate the miracle locally!
I like to keep both of these dreidels in my collection. That way, I remember that the story of Chanukah took place in our homeland; but the possibilities of the miraculous exist in every land.
Another spiritual component of this holiday is the placement of the Chanukiyah (Chanukah menorah). We are told to place the lit chanukiyah near a window or in a box near the entrance of our home. This is called pirsum ha-nes, or the public display of the miracle. The joyful remembrance is meant to be shared with others!
And of course, as the days grow shorter and darkness lingers, we all crave a bit of light and connection. Luckily, our in-person Shabbat Services are running strong at Camp Laurelwood! If you haven’t yet given our temporary service space a try, you will be surprised by how accessible and convenient it is. We meet in Zachs Rec Hall, just about a 20 second drive straight down the hill from Laurelwood’s main gate. You can park right there. We now have improved lighting and a ramp for accessibility.
Our first three Friday nights of December all feature something special: December 3rd is our community bringyour-own-chanukiyah service, as well as our new student consecration! On December 10, we will welcome guest shlichim (New Haven emissaries from Israel). Then on December 17, we will celebrate a joyous “Camp Shabbat,” with special songs and activities for kids and families. Please refer to your Shofar Blast for the details. We can’t wait to see you there. And in the meantime, I wish you and your family very sincerely,
a Chag Urim Sameach - Happy Chanukah,
Rabbi Moss