How do you spell Hanukkah?!

I'm excited to start lighting Hanukkah candles tonight with family and friends, but this year I'm also struggling with the story.  The Maccabees bravely fought for freedom, but how do we interpret their violence and zealotry?  How do we celebrate when there is so much suffering - then and now - in the land of Israel?

Perhaps the early rabbis had a similar struggle.  They didn't want to encourage more revolts against the Romans, so the rabbis shift the focus of the Hanukkah narrative to the scene inside the Temple during the clean up and rebuilding.  Hundreds of years later, they move away from the Maccabees' military victory and lift up the miracle of the oil.

The rabbis also give the holiday its name: Hanukkah.  Previously, the historian Josephus had referred to the "Festival of Lights."  Hanukkah means "dedication."  After the fighting, the Jews rebuild and rededicate the Temple in Jerusalem.

The Jews rededicate themselves to their God, core teachings, and values.  They rekindle the eternal lamp, and move forward, one step at a time, with a sense of purpose.  

As we all know, dedication is not always easy, and it's an ongoing process more than a one-time victory.  That's why we return to Hanukkah each year.

This Hanukkah, I am grateful for the dedication of journalists who are holding up the complexity of the war in Israel and Gaza.  I am grateful for the dedication of teachers who are empowering their students with empathy and nuance.  

I am grateful that there are Israelis and Palestinians still dedicated to peace and shared society.  I am grateful that, in response to the overwhelming events and tragedy, people here have said: I want to better understand.  I want to dedicate time and attention to learning more.  

I am grateful that Sanctuary is a community of humans with open hearts and minds.  We're  curious and compassionate, and comfortable with unresolved questions.  We ask ourselves: Which parts of our Jewish lives need more dedication?  Which parts deserve reimagination?

When using English letters, we have a few ways of spelling Hanukkah (for some levity, listen here).
In Hebrew, "dedication" looks like this: חֲנֻכָּה
And in Hebrew, we can use the same letters to write "education" or hinuch: חִינוּךְ

As we enter into Hanukkah:
May we dedicate ourselves to learning and relearning.
May we give ourselves time to practice new skills.
May we give our attention to hearing new perspectives.
And in the process, may we discover new sources of strength and light.

​Happy Hanukkah!