Last Friday evening the Sanctuary was aglow with the light from Menorah’s brought by the congregants of TSS. It was the seventh night of Hanukkah as we came together to commemorate and celebrate the enduring faith and the hard fought survival of the Jewish people.
Cantor Sussman explained that the word Hanukkah means “dedication.” The ceremony and prayers coinciding with the lighting of each candle holds special meaning as we are reminded, once again, of the struggle of our ancestors.
Dedication to prayer, to worship and to the practice of Jewish customs is one way that we can demonstrate our faith in our own lives and honor those who came before us. Our ancestors fought many battles to maintain their faith. Throughout history, their Temples were destroyed; their people were disbursed … yet they carried on.
In our own daily struggles, let us remember that we come from a strong and dedicated people. That in stressful times, we will endure, we will survive and we will always remember that the candles we light on Hanukkah represent the everlasting hope we have for peace in our world.
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