KEHILLAT CHOVEVEI TZION SHABBAT and CHANUKAH SERVICES December 2012 - January 2013 Kislev - Tevet 5773 Shabbat Vayeshev Friday December 7 6:00 PM Saturday December 8 9:00 AM Chanukah 5772 Saturday evening, December 8 Shabbat Chanukah (Seventh Day of Chanukah) Friday December 14 6:00 PM Saturday December 15 9:00 AM Shabbat Vayigash Friday Saturday Shabbat Vayechi Friday Saturday December 21 6:00 PM December 22 9:00 PM December 28 6:00 PM December 29 9:00 AM Shabbat Shemot Friday January 4 6:00 PM Saturday January 5 9:00 AM Shabbat Va era - Rosh Chodesh Shvat Friday January 11 6:00 PM Saturday January 12 9:00 AM Shabbat Bo Friday January 18 6:00 PM Saturday January 19 9:00 AM Shabbat B shallach - Tu B Shvat Friday January 25 6:00 PM Tu B Shvat Seder 6:45 PM Saturday January 26 9:00 AM Kehillat Chovevei Tzion Route 25A at Nicolls Road P.O. Box 544 East Setauket, NY 11733 (631) 689-0257 www.kct.org
18 Kislev 5773 December 2, 2012 Chanukah recalls miracles, history, dedication and resolve. The almost two decade history of Kehillat Chovevei Tzion and the impact it has had and continues to have on its member families, friends and community, is most exciting. As an all-volunteer, lay-lead independent Kehillah, the challenges are many and the resolution and rewards are uplifting. The warmth of smallness with the passion of deep commitment spill across all of the Shabbat and Yom Tov services, special occasion events and educational programming throughout the year that bring us together in communal study and celebration. The passionate closeness that marks life-cycle events extends the reach of family into community. We are delighted to be able to bring to you at various times throughout the year, these thematic and holiday preparation booklets for your enjoyment and personal study with friends, family and neighbors. Speaking of friends and neighbors... Why not bring them with you to the next Shabbat service or to one of the exciting upcoming social and educational events? Be sure to stay informed about all happenings via the KCT listserv and the website (www.kct.org). Being here, learning, speaking encouragingly of the activities, providing transportation to services and assistance in managing the needs of the Kehillah, sharing thoughts for improvements and for new programs, providing tzedakah to nourish the fiscal needs of KCT and its diverse program... all are the welcome expressions of dedication to the goals of the Kehillah that are most urgently sought as we approach in the coming weeks, the historic rededication symbolized by the Chanukah period. The Trustees of KCT and their families join in bringing you our best wishes for an uplifting and meaningful Chanukah celebration. L hitraot, Elaine Ehrenberg Seth Forman Harvey Goldstein Craig Harris Michael Lamm Douglas Lee Charles Mann, President Karen Mann Burt Schwartz Martin Vitberg Herman Werner
Please be aware that this booklet contains full blessings including God s name. Should you print it out and no longer wish to retain the printed booklet, please take care to dispose of it properly..... Kindling the Lights sundown, before lighting the Shabbat candles. On Saturday night, the Menorah should be lit after reciting Havdalah, concluding Shabbat. On the first night, place one candle in the Menorah's far right (as you face the Menorah) candle holder. Another candle is placed for the Shamash. Recite the blessings below and then light the candle using the Shamash candle. Washington DC Mall photo courtesy of Chabad. (Text, photos and brachot compiled from various sources.) Kindling the menorah lights is the most important Chanukah custom. Jews light the candles to remember the miracle of the Maccabees' victory and the miracle of the oil that burnt for eight days in the holy Temple. It is a mitzvah that Jews must "publicize the miracle" by lighting a Chanukiah each night during the eight days of Chanukah. The Menorah should have eight candle holders in a row all at the same height, and a separate candle holder for the Shamash. The Shamash candle is used to light the other eight candles, since it is forbidden to use the Chanukah lights for any purpose other than viewing. To best publicize the miracle, the Menorah is ideally lit outside the doorway of your house, on the left side when entering. If this is not practical, then the Menorah should be lit in a window facing the public thoroughfare. If the Menorah cannot be lit by the window, it may be lit inside the house on a table, which at least fulfills the mitzvah of "publicizing the miracle" for members of the household. The Menorah should preferably be lit immediately at nightfall (Sundays through Thursdays). If necessary, however, the Menorah can be lit late into the night. It is best to wait until all members of the household are present to light the Menorah. It should remain lit for at least 30 minutes after nightfall. On Friday afternoon, the Menorah should be lit before First Blessing... Baruch atah Ado..noy, Eloheynu melech ha olom asher kid shanu b mitsvotav, v tzivanu l hadlik ner chel Chanukah. Amen! Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us by His commandments, and has commanded us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah. Second Blessing... Baruch atah Ado..noy, Eloheynu melech ha olom she aso nissim l avoteinu ba yamim ho heym bazman ha zeh. Amen! Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who wrought miracles for our fathers in days of old, at this season. Third Blessing (only on the first night of Chanukah) Baruch atah Ado..noy, Eloheynu melech ha olom she hecheyanu v ki manu ve higi'anu lazman ha zeh. Amen! Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive, and has preserved us, and enabled us to reach this time.
.... Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages) Note: On the second through eighth nights... As shown in the diagram above, as you face the Menorah... Place additional candles right to left... light the candles each night left to right! Say the first two blessings and then light the candles using the Shamash. Light the left-most candle first and then light in order, from left to right. Follow this procedure for each night of Chanukah. While lighting the candles themselves, songs like Hanerot Halalu (see below) or verses from Al HaNissim are traditionally recited... Hanei rot ha lo lu anu mad li kin Al ha te shu ot v al ha nisim v al ha nif la ot, She a see ta la avo tei nu ba ya mim ha heim biz man ha zeh, Al ye dei ko hanecha ha kedoshim. V chol shemonat y mei chanukah, haneirot halalu kodesh hem, V ein lanu re shut lehish ta meish ba hen, E la lirotan bil vad, ke dei lehodot u lehaleil l shimcha hagadol Al ni secha v al nifle otecha v al ye shuotecha. We light these lights for the miracles and the wonders, for the redemption and the battles that you made for our forefathers in those days at this season, through your holy priests. During all eight days of Chanukah, these lights are sacred and we are not permitted to make ordinary use of them. But only to look at them in order to express thanks and praise to Your great Name for your miracles, your wonders and your salvations. Once the candles have been lit, Maoz Tzur is traditionally sung (See the next article). Maoz Tzur, which translates from the Hebrew as "Rock of Ages", is traditionally sung after reciting Chanukah blessings and lighting the candles. Maoz Tzur is an acrostic poem with five stanzas. The first letter of each stanza spells the poet's name, Mordechai, in Hebrew (mem, reish, dalet, kaf, yud). The first stanza, shown below, thanks God for deliverance from our oppressors. The next three stanzas (see your siddur) tell the story of the exodus from Egypt and the liberation from Babylonia, Persia, and Syria. The fifth verse recounts the story of Hanukkah. Stanza 1: Transliteration Ma'oz tsur yeshu'ati lecha na'eh leshabeach. Tikon beit tefilati vesham todah nezabeach. Le'et tachin mat beach mitsar ham nabeach, 'az 'egmor beshir mizmor, chanukat hamizbeach. Stanza 1: Popular English Translation Rock of ages, let our song praise Your saving power; You, amid the raging foes, were our sheltering tower. Furious they assailed us, but Your arm availed us, And Your word, broke their sword, When our own strength failed us. Stanza 1: Literal Translation O mighty stronghold of my salvation, to praise You is a delight. Restore my House of Prayer and there we will bring a thanksgiving offering. When You will have prepared the slaughter for the blaspheming foe, Then I shall complete with a song of hymn the dedication of the Altar..... Add or Take Away? Drawn in parts from the writings of several authors including Rabbi Pinchas Frankel (writing for the OU) and Rivka C. Berman (writing for several of the MazorNet websites and publications). One of the most famous disputes between the students of Mishnaic sages Hillel and Shammai examined the customary number of lights to be lit each Chanukah night. The students of Shammai
thought it best to light all eight candles at the outset and to subtract one on each successive night. This would parallel the offerings brought on Sukkot which begin at 70 on the first day and dwindle each following day. The students of Hillel explained the hope that "we should ascend in holiness and not down" as the reason why it would be preferable to add a candle each night of Chanukah. (Shabbat 21b) Hillel's academy won the debate and his is the practice followed to this day. As candles are added every night of Chanukah the amount of radiated light increases each night, mirroring a commitment to bring an ever-growing amount of spiritual light into the world. On the question of the order of lighting the candles... The rabbis who established the blessing criteria consistently took care to avoid mentioning God's name without cause. There would be no reason to repeat the Chanukah blessing every night of the holiday if there wasn't something novel that merited the invocation of God's name. This is one reason given as to why the candle that represents the current night of Chanukah is lit first. It is over this new amount of light that the blessing is being said..... Remembering and Rededicating Excerpted from a Dvar Torah by Rabbi Toba Spitzer, the rabbi of Congregation Dorshei Tzedek, Newton, MA. [... ] The historical background to Chanukah is that, in 167 B.C.E., a group of Jewish zealots-judah Maccabee and his brothers, later known as the Hasmoneans - challenged the attempt by the Greek-Syrian rulers of Jerusalem to ban traditional Jewish practices and force the Jewish population to assimilate to the dominant Hellenistic culture. This was not only a popular rebellion, but a civil war as well: the Hasmonean zealots killed other Jews who dared transgress Torah laws. After defeating the occupying forces, the Maccabees rededicated the desecrated Temple in Jerusalem. There are parallels between then and now. The Hellenism of 167 B.C.E. was in many ways similar to American culture in the 2000's: a global force that absorbed and weakened other cultures as it spread worldwide. Just as assimilation is a hot topic in the American Jewish community today, many Jews of that time were similarly attracted to Hellenism and had abandoned traditional Jewish practices. [...] On Chanukah we celebrate Jewish courage in overcoming a cultural threat. We learn from the rabbis of the Talmudic era who created the holiday of Chanukah by transforming the historical story of the Maccabees. It is in the Talmud that we first find the-now famous story of the little vial of lamp oil which lasted for a miraculous eight days. In honor of this "miracle" the rabbis ordained that we light candles for eight nights. And it was the rabbis who established the haftarah reading - a selection from the prophet Zechariah - for the Shabbat during Chanukah, which includes this wonderful verse: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says Adonai of hosts." In creating the holiday of Chanukah, the ancient rabbis clearly wanted to downplay the militaristic aspects of the historical tradition, and to emphasize the importance of faith in God over faith in human power (which may have been wise, given the fact that the Hasmonean rulers went on to become Hellenized themselves, and very corrupt). Just as the rabbis "reconstructed" the tradition they had received to create a meaningful celebration, so too we are challenged to discover what Chanukah can mean for us today. The rabbinic Chanukah centers around the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem (the word "chanukah" means "dedication"). The Temple was the successor to the mishkan, that structure in the wilderness, built by the Israelite community --which enabled the Presence of the Holy One to dwell among the people. For me, the mishkan is a symbol of all that we want to create together as a Jewish community, and as a larger society. The lights we light at Chanukah remind us of the mishkan, and give us an opportunity to "rededicate" ourselves to creating a society and a world in which the Godly can "dwell." What will help bring light into the world, and how can each of us bring some of that light? These are questions we can ask as we kindle our Chanukah candles this year. I wish you a holiday filled with light and song and the possibility of world ruled not by might and not by power, but by the Spirit that moves and works through each of us..... Believing in Miracles Written by Noam Zion, the Director of Shalom Hartman Institute's Resource Center for Jewish Continuity. He specializes in teaching Jewish Holidays, Bible and Art, and has edited several educational books for the Shalom Hartman Institute. This essay comes from A Different Light: The Big Book of Chanukah published by the Shalom Hartman Institute and Devora Publishing.
The many stories related to Chanukah actually recount two different miracles--one supernatural, the other "natural". The Rabbis speak of two different kinds of miracles that the menorah proclaims. We must decide whether to believe in and propagate either. The Miracle of the Oil The miracle recalled in the Talmud speaks of a cruse of oil that burned for eight days instead of one. That is a supernatural miracle violating the laws of nature. Taken literally, it promotes a belief in supernatural intervention. It may even denigrate human effort. Perhaps that kind of belief explains why Lubavitch Hasidim refused to wear gas masks during the Iraqi missile attacks on Israel in 1991 when chemical warheads were feared. However, David Hartman argues that the miracle of oil is only a symbol that arouses human faith. When human beings are willing to believe that more is possible than meets the eye, then they will invest in historical projects like the Maccabean Revolt and the Declaration of the Independence of Israel in 1948 even against all odds. Our presupposition that a cruse of oil cannot burn for eight days, that it is a natural impossibility, is only a symbol of the mistaken belief in the historical impossibility of change. The Miracles of the Few Against the Many Even if we cannot embrace the miracle of the cruse of oil, the Rabbis offered a different kind of miracle to celebrate. The Rabbinic prayer for Chanukah, Al Hanisim, ignores the miracle of the oil and speaks of a general phenomenon possible in every generation whereby God helps human beings to bring about miraculous rescues from historical oppressors. This belief in God's miracles does not undermine human effort but causes it to redouble. The miracle is "natural" within the realm of historical possibility, yet inconceivable and unattainable by oppressed peoples who don't believe in its possibility. In the Exodus from Egypt, God initiates the miracles for a passive, despairing people of slaves. However, on Chanukah, first the martyrs like Hannah and then the zealots and the warriors initiate the redemptive process. In a world where God seems eclipsed, where there are no supernatural signs and no prophets, where the leading priests accepted Hellenism as a boon, the Maccabees bear witness to another dimension. They evaluate the world differently and they believe in a Divine power whose hidden will becomes manifest. The Rabbis celebrated the political and military manifestation of God's miracle in the Maccabees' victory. Personally, I prefer the miracle of the few against the many. I need to reject the miraculous long-burning cruse of oil lest I be understood as an anti-rationalist or passive Jew. But perhaps beyond my polemic against the childish legend, I need to mature and to reinterpret both kinds of miracles as opening me up to other dimensions, to possibilities in myself and in my world that I have too quickly foreclosed. Believing in miracles is another way of learning to keep my options open and letting myself be surprised us..... Who are the Heroes of Chanukah? By Sara Yoheved Rigler, an international lecturer on Jewish spirituality. A graduate of Brandeis University, after having practiced and taught meditation and Eastern philosophy, she has been living in Jerusalem since 1985 and presents a highly-acclaimed marriage workshop for women. The founders of the Jewish Olympics had a formidable task. To find a name for the games, they had to pick through Jewish history and find a hero who, if not actually athletic, was minimally physically fit. Two millennia of pasty-faced scholars did not qualify, so they reached back further. King David had a spindly physique and, as the author of Psalms, was remembered more for his lyrical poetry than his military conquests. The greatest war hero among the Biblical kings was perhaps Ahab, the husband of Jezebel, but he was a villain. The Ahab Games just wouldn t do. Then, voila! They found them: the Maccabees! These five brothers valiantly fought and vanquished the mighty Greek army. They were physically strong and morally upstanding. The games would be called the Maccabiah. After all, the Maccabees are the perfect role models for aspiring Jewish athletes. Or are they? Who Were the Maccabees Anyway? The Maccabees were distinguished by two traits: They were idealistic and they were undaunted by difficulty. In terms of their idealism, the name Maccabee says it all. The five brothers were the sons of the elderly priest Mattathias. The family designation was
Hasmonean. The appellation Maccabee is actually an acronym for Mi kimocha b eilim Hashem, meaning: Who is like You among gods, God! Maccabee is a statement of one-pointed dedication to the One God. The battle the Maccabees waged was the first war in history to be fought not for the sake of land or power, but for the sake of a religious ideal. For the first 160 years after Alexander the Great s peaceful takeover of Judea, the Greek Hellenists allowed their cultural influence to gradually win over the Jewish population. The urban elite of Jerusalem adopted Greek language, dress, and artistic and cultural mores, including the hitherto unknown pastime of engaging in sports. While physical strength and prowess were always valued for military conquest, the Greeks made athletics an end in itself, i n s t i t u t i n g c o m p e t i t i o n s wh e r e t h e fastest/strongest/most adept were feted. In Jerusalem, they built a sports stadium to the south of the Holy Temple. There young Jews, including priests, competed naked. Many had their circumcision surgically reversed, for the Greeks idolized nature and spurned circumcision, the Jews sign of their covenant with God. The choice of the cosmopolitan residents of Judea to become Hellenists was simply conforming to a world trend. Greek culture, after all, was modern, enlightened, scientific, and universalistic, while Judaism was widely regarded as old-fashioned, tribal, and restrictive. In that era, taking on the Greek lifestyle was a prerequisite to becoming materially successful and culturally sophisticated. As historian Paul Johnson wrote: Acquiring Greek culture was a passport to first-class citizenship, as later would be baptism. [A History of the Jews, p. 99] Of course, all this was anathema to traditional Jews such as Mattathias, but as long as they were allowed to continue to study and observe the Torah, they submitted to Greek rule. All that changed in 167 B.C.E., when the Seleucid Greek King Antiochus issued a decree outlawing the practice and study of the Torah, on pain of death. Greek troops entered the village of Modi in and commanded the residents to sacrifice a pig to an idol. One obsequious Jew stepped forward to comply. An enraged Mattathias killed the apostate and the Greek officer. Then he, his sons, and a handful of his supporters fled to the hills. One can only imagine the discussion that took place that night in the cave where Mattathias and his five sons were hiding. As they huddled in the cold (because they dared not light a fire that would give away their whereabouts), they had to plan their next step. They never intended to start a war; they didn t dream of vanquishing the mighty, well-equipped Greek army. Only one thing was clear to them: They would continue to practice the mitzvot of the Torah, and no force on earth would stop them. And if Antiochus sent his troops to enforce his nefarious decree, they would fight those troops. They would fight for their religious ideals. The Maccabees were, first and foremost, idealists. Rabbi Noah Weinberg, z l, used to say: Figure out what you re willing to die for. Then live for it. That could have been the motto of the Maccabees. They were willing to die (and all five of them did die!) for God and His Torah. In that cave they decided to start fighting for that ideal. Had they been pragmatists, they would have cowered before the Greek army with its 40,000 well-trained, well-equipped troops, plus elephants, the tanks of the ancient world. Had they been realists, they would have surrendered to the zeitgeist of assimilation that had already swept their country and their people. But they were idealists, and an idealist does what s right, whatever the cost, whatever the result. Miraculously, they ended up winning. After three years of guerilla warfare, they drove the Greeks from Jerusalem and from the Holy Temple, and reinstituted the service in the Temple. It took them a full 26 years to achieve complete victory over the Greeks, and by that time four of the Maccabee brothers had been killed. Only Simon lived to witness the final withdrawal of the Seleucid Greek forces from Jerusalem, and seven years later he too was killed by a Seleucid plot. Idealists, the Maccabees both devoted their lives and gave their lives for their religious ideals..... Two Women as Role Models Two stories related to Chanukah focus on the heroic efforts of women. This extract is reprinted from Hanukkah: The Family Guide to Spiritual Celebration (Jewish Lights), as found at www.myjewishlearning.com. The Shulhan Arukh, the Code of Jewish Law, specifies that while the Hanukkah lights are burning, no one is to engage in work, especially women. Why women? There are two famous stories of Chanukah that have brought special merit to the valorous role of women in the holiday.
Judith and Holofernes The Apocrypha is a collection of books from the biblical period which were not chosen to be part of the Jewish Bible (but were accepted in the Catholic collection). In addition to the First and Second Books of Maccabees, the Apocrypha contains the Book of Judith, a book preserved in the Greek but not in the Hebrew Bible. It tells the story of a beautiful Jewish woman by the name of Judith, who single-handedly saved the Jewish town of Bethulia... The story goes like this. An evil general, Holofernes, lays siege to the town. All seems lost until Judith tells the elders of the town that she has a plan to defeat the enemy. They dismiss her offer as foolish and prepare to surrender to Holofernes. Judith tries once more to convince the elders that she can save them, and this time they reluctantly agree to allow her to leave the camp for one day. Judith prepares herself for her bold scheme. She dresses provocatively and prepares a sack containing food and wine. She approaches the enemy camp and is immediately captured and brought to Holofernes. He is very impressed with her beauty and her prediction that he will capture Bethulia. She suggests they go to his tent alone and celebrate. Once in Holofernes' tent, Judith feeds him the salty cheese she has brought with her. Holofernes becomes quite thirsty and drinks large quantities of wine until he falls asleep, drunk. Judith takes Holofernes' sword and cuts off his head. She covers the body with a blanket, puts the head in a sack, and returns through the sleeping camp to Bethulia. The elders cannot believe that Judith has returned safely. She reveals the severed head of Holofernes and the elders place it on the walls of the city. Meanwhile, the enemy soldiers awake and discover the decapitated body of their leader. In the distance, they see Holofernes' head hanging from the walls of Bethulia. They decide that if a Jewish woman could be so ruthless, they do not want to fight Jewish men in battle, and so the army retreats and the city of Bethulia is saved. A midrash (in Hebrew) dealing with a variation of the Judith story was read on the Shabbat or Shabbatot of Chanukah during the Middle Ages. Dated sometime after the 10th century CE, the midrash is remarkably similar to the narrative of the Greek version. Artist and critic Beth Haber notes that the story of Judith has inspired a long list of artistic representations, ranging from the rather violent depictions of the beheading of Holofernes by Andrea Mantegna to the stone sculptures of Judith on the north portal wall of the Chartres Cathedral. Michelangelo himself painted figures of Judith and her maid on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Elisabetta Sirani and Fede Galizia used Judith as subject, while Caravaggio's famous painting is far more sympathetic to Holofernes than to Judith. A series of six paintings by Artemisia Gentileschi runs the gamut from the violence of the act itself to the resolve and determination in its aftermath. In addition, the Judith story also inspired a number of religious epics in many European countries, as well as musical oratorios by famous and not-so-famous composers. Hannah and Her Sons Another story of heroism involving a woman is associated with Chanukah. The story of Hannah and her seven sons is recorded in the Second Book of Maccabees 7:1-41. [Hannah is a name from Rabbinic midrash; the Second Book of Maccabees refers to her as "the mother."] Unlike the militant story of Judith, Hannah's story is a tale of martyrdom. It seems that Antiochus meets Hannah and her sons, who refuse to eat pig in public. As each son refuses, he is tortured and put to death in front of Hannah. Finally, before the last child is to be killed, Antiochus appeals to Hannah to direct him to eat the meat and be saved. Hannah asks her son what he wishes to do. He replies that he is only sorry that he had to wait so long to show his love of Torah. Hannah praises him and he is then martyred. Hannah dies, too. In different versions, Hannah is killed by Antiochus, throws herself from the city walls, or dies of grief over her beloved sons. These stories of heroism shed light on the role of Jewish women in times of crisis. From the time of
the Israelite midwives' refusal to accede to Pharaoh's decree to kill the firstborn Jewish males (Exodus 1:15-22) to the leadership of Deborah (Judges 4 and 5), the Jewish woman understands the severity of the situation and rallies the Jewish people to victory. In the Judith story, the Israelite men are depicted as weak and indecisive while she is willing to risk her own life to turn the tide..... Recognizing the Miracle of Nature By Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum, the founder and director of the Jewish Learning Connection, an adult outreach organization in Cleveland, OH On Chanukah we recognize the miracle of nature. There are many different customs associated with the Jewish holidays. The meaning behind some of the customs is readily apparent. Eating latkes and doughnuts fried in oil on Chanukah, for example, recalls the miracle of the flask of oil that lasted eight days. The significance of the dreidel, the four-sided top with Hebrew letters on e a c h s i d e, however, is not as c l e a r. S o m e suggest that the d r e i d e l w a s invented at the time of the Syrian-Greek decrees against the Jewish people. One of the prohibitions was the study of Torah. Fearlessly, the Jews continued teaching and studying Torah in secret. Should a Greek soldier appear, they would hide their books, pull out tops and play with the children. Let us explore a deeper interpretation of the dreidel. During the Second Temple era, a small band of Jews fought valiantly against the great Greek armies, miraculously overcame them and regained religious freedom. Although the war did not end for several years, on the 25th day of Kislev the Jews resumed kindling the Menorah in the Temple. All the flasks of oil had been contaminated by the Greeks, yet one little sealed flask was miraculously found, containing enough oil to burn for one night. Another miracle occurred and the oil burned for eight days, until they could procure new oil. The name Chanukah is a contraction of the words chanu kaf-heh, they camped [and rested from war] on the 25th day of Kislev. It seems strange that the name of the holiday recalls the lull in the fighting instead of the final victory itself. Why celebrate the job before it is completed? A miracle is a break from the natural routine. Let us understand the role of miracles in general and the Chanukah miracle in particular. The Sages teach that there is no real difference between nature and miracles; God s hand guides everything in the world. However, we sometimes are so distracted by our routine that we fail to see God s hand around us. Nature is really nothing more than the breathtaking beauty and symmetry of God s Creation becoming routine. The purpose of a miracle, a break from the routine, is to draw our attention to God s control over all areas of life even the natural. That is why the holiday was named Chanukah, reflecting the lull in the war. It was only then the Jews had a chance to stop and consider the Divine assistance rendered during their lop-sided battles something they had not appreciated in the midst of war. This may help us understand another question often asked about Chanukah. The little flask contained enough oil to last for one day, so the miracle was really only for seven days and not eight. Then why is Chanukah celebrated for eight days? We fail to see the fascination in the mundane. The answer lies in the same principle. We take it for granted that oil can fuel a flame, whereas apple juice cannot. But why should that be so? Why does the juice of one fruit fuel a fire, while that of another actually extinguishes it? We have become so accustomed to the routine that we fail to see the fascination in the mundane. The extra day of celebration awakens us to see God's hand in the natural as much as in the miraculous. Which brings us back to the dreidel. Written on the sides of the dreidel are the letters nun, gimmel, heh, and shin, representing the words nes gadol haya sham, A great miracle happened there. While the dreidel spins, the letters disappear in a blur and are visible only when coming to a stop. The dreidel represents how we immersed in the dizzying hustle-bustle of daily routine cannot see the miracles regularly happening all around. Only when we stop to reflect are our eyes opened to the miracles that were there the whole time. Please contact us today to be part of the KCT Chevra Nechama and Chevra Bikur Cholim
.... The Fight for Freedom Perhaps, you d prefer to see and hear a renowned speaker on-line, make the case for promoting the holiday of Chanukah as a transcending experience, beyond both military remembrance and religious survival, in the context of timeless Jewish selfidentification? Among the many published spellings are these... Chanuka Chanukah Chanukkah Channukah Hanukah Hannukah Hanukkah Hanuka Hanukka Hanaka Haneka Hanika Khanukkah What s your favorite?.... Guinness Book of Records Reprinted from the Thursday December 22, 2011 edition of Newsday, reported by T.C. McCarthy [Ed: Your camerashy Humble Editor stood about five feet to the left of the lady in the photo below!] See the video on-line at http://www.news12.com/articledetail.jsp?articleid=30180 1&news_type=news&position=1 View the Chief Rabbi of South Africa, Rabbi Warren Goldstein, at http://bit.ly/ujdcdd (To play the video clip, you will need to click on the blue Play button at the lower right, and will need an active version of the Flash player).... Chanukah or Hanukah or..? Victory Declared in Merrick Guinness Menorah Attempt Merrick Wednesday December 21, 2011 The Merrick Jewish Centre had to turn on its air conditioning Wednesday as hundreds of people lit more than 2,300 candles to ring in the second night of Hanukkah -- and to break a Guinness World Record. Hanukka? Chanukah? Hanaka?... There seems to be some confusion surrounding the actual spelling of Chanukah. Part of the reason for this confusion may be due to the fact there is no exact English transliteration from the Hebrew that is universally accepted. Some are concerned about making pronunciation(s) easiest for non-jews while less painful to the Jewish ear. The crowd at the synagogue, located on Fox Boulevard, had gathered to break the record for the most menorahs lit at the same time in one place, Rabbi Charles Klein said. The record to beat was 358 menorahs, which was set in 2009 at a bar in Moscow. I think people are thrilled at the opportunity to celebrate the Jewish tradition, the Merrick rabbi said. It doesn t always happen that Hanukkah is celebrated with this kind of ferver.
Klein, said the idea came from a sleepless night of pondering how his congregation could do something different for Hanukkah this year. When he saw that the Guinness record to beat was 358 menorahs, he knew they could clinch it. At just after 7 PM, Klein called for those in attendance to light the center candle and two others on their menorahs, illuminating aluminum foil-wrapped tabletops. A large Ooooh filled the room before people erupted with applause and laughter. The synagogue claimed victory, lighting a reported total of 782 menorahs. Independent observers were on hand to make a count and to submit that information to Guinness for verification. For Larry Moskowitz, 47, of Merrick, the night was not only about setting records but also about the message the congregation was sending by uniting in a common goal. He brought his children and other family members and stood with neighbors and friends from the center for the menorah lighting. We re doing it all together, we re getting a critical mass and showing our colors and really shining, he said. Hanukkah is not only a time to celebrate the faith and customs of the Jewish people, but for people of all faiths to celebrate the common aspirations we share. As families, friends and neighbors gather together to kindle the lights, may Hanukkah's lessons inspire us all to give thanks for the blessings we enjoy, to find light in times of darkness, and to work together for a brighter, more hopeful tomorrow. Barack Obama President of the United States.... Dreidel: The Rules of the Game Long associated uniquely with the holiday of Chanukah is the children s game of dreidel. We present here one educator s take on the rules of the game! Written by Noam Zion, Director of Shalom Hartman Institute's Resource Center for Jewish Continuity. He specializes in teaching Jewish Holidays, Bible and Art..... President s Proclamation of Chanukah [Ed: What do you think? This holiday message is from President Barack Obama on Chanukah three years ago... Do you think the President has captured the powerfully universalistic message of Chanukah, or has he missed entirely the uniquely Jewish experiential message? It is offered here without agenda or inclination.. perhaps you ll share your thoughts with us at the next Shabbat Kiddush.] 2009 Chanukah Message From The President THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary Michelle and I send our warmest wishes to all who are celebrating Hanukkah around the world. The Hanukkah story of the Maccabees and the miracles they witnessed reminds us that faith and perseverance are powerful forces that can sustain us in difficult times and help us overcome even the greatest odds. (Shown in the photo, from right to left, are the letters nun, gimmel, hey, and shin) The Hebrew word for dreidel is sevivon, which, as in Yiddish, means to turn around. Dreidels have four Hebrew letters on them, and they stand for the saying, Nes Gadol Haya Sham, meaning A great miracle occurred there. In Israel, instead of the fourth letter "shin," there is a "peh," which means the saying is Nes Gadol Haya Po -- a great miracle occurred here. The rules may vary, but here s how to play the basic dreidel game: 1. Any number of people can take part in this great game. Each player begins the game with an equal number of game pieces (about 10-15) such as pennies, nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, matchsticks, etc. 2. At the beginning of each round, every participant puts one game piece into the center "pot." In addition, every time the pot is empty or has only one game piece left, every player should put one in the pot. 3. Every time it's your turn, spin the dreidel once. Depending on the outcome, you give or get game pieces from the pot:
a) Nun means "nisht"or "nothing" [in Yiddish]. The player does nothing. b) Gimmel means "gantz"or "everything" [in Yiddish]. The player gets everything in the pot. c) Hey means "halb"or "half" [in Yiddish]. The player gets half of the pot. (If there is an odd number of pieces in the pot, the player takes half of the total plus one). d) Shin (outside of Israel) means "shtel" or "put in" [in Yiddish]. Peh (in Israel) means "pay." The player adds a game piece to the pot. 4. If you have no game pieces left, you are "out". When one person has won everything, the game is over! We suggest that if you use money to play the game, ask players to donate part or all of their winnings to tzedakah. Repeat the Chorus... My dreidel's always playful, It loves to dance and spin. A happy game of dreidel, Come play, now let's begin! Repeat the Chorus one last time...!! Other songs for Chanukah? You can find the lyrics, or even the sheet music, for many of these songs on-line or at specialty Judaic shops... Chanukah Gelt Mi Yimalel Al Hanisim Lights Light One Candle I Have a Little Dreidel Ocho Kandelikas (Eight Candles, in Ladino) Ale Brider (We Are All Brothers, in Yiddish) Hope Hiney Ma Tov Chanukah's Flame Chanukah 'O Chanukah Maoz Tzur... and so many more!.... My Dreidel: I Made It Out of Clay Photo courtesy of Aharon s Judaica in Denver, CO..... Ooops!: A Chanukah Special Several years ago, the New York Daily News featured this item, available at the Greenwich Village gourmet shop Balducci s, on Eighth Avenue in Manhattan. One observer noted that while it may have been boneless, it was likely from the Well- Meaning-But-Clueless Department. The Dreidel Song Chorus: Oh Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel I made it out of clay Oh Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel Then Dreidel I shall play. It has a lovely body, With legs so short and thin. And when it gets all tired, It drops and then I win Kiddush Sponsorships Are Available ~ Honor Any Occasion of Your Choosing.... Please Ask Us!
graduations - birthdays - last child moving out - weddings - engagement promotion - thanking a teacher - passing the bar - moving into your new home children s accomplishments - employment advancement - dedication - special yahrzeit first-year - remission - empty nest at last new computer - publication - - brit milah new boss at work - mortgage-burning baby naming - thanking a teacher - successful thesis defense - adoption - purchasing a new car selling the house - studying Torah- fixing the leak - upshirin - pain going away paying off debt - new office at work - getting an answer to your ad - finding your beshert graduations - birthdays - weddings passing the bar - new home - recovery from illness - getting away from that crazy neighbor - engagements - promotions better employment - retirement at last advancement - dedication to that special someone - special yahrzeit - first-year celebration - remission - new computer publication - new boss at work - mortgage burning - baby naming - thanking a teacher - thesis defense - brit milah adoption - new car The - selling the house graduations - birthdays - last child moving out - weddings engagement - promotion - passing the bar - Tree moving into your new home recovery - relocations - employment retirement - advancement - dedication special yahrzeit - first-year of - remission empty nest at last last - new computer publication - brit milah - new boss at work - mortgage-burning Life - baby naming lehning Torah - successful thesis defense adoption - new car - selling the house at last - new baby - fixing at the leak - upshirin pain going away - dedication to that special someone - special yahrzeit - first-year celebration - remission KCT new computer publication - new boss at work mortgage Making the fleeting moments of celebration last forever MAZAL TOV! Consider this your invitation to make the joy of f that special personal or family moment last forever by endowing an engraved leaf on the KCT Tree of Life on the Dedication Wall of the KCT Kiddush Area. Join the many families in our community who have chosen this method to provide needed support for the KehillahÊs year-round educational and religious programming. Your $180 donation will be acknowledged by the placement of a beautifully engraved leaf honoring this special moment in your familyês life. Be sure to ask about the many special programmatic dedicatory opportunities available throughout the year at KCT. KEHILLAT CHOVEVEI TZION PO BOX 544 ~ SETAUKET, NY 11733 (631) 689-0257 ~ WWW.KCT.ORG LÊDOR VÊDOR: ENDOWING A LEAF ON THE TREE OF LIFE AT KCT DONOR NAME ADDRESS THE OCCASION ENGRAVING TEXT