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| Sage Hanukkah 2002 by Reb Lynn Gottlieb Etched upon silver hanukiot, the Hebrew words, “Ha-nerot Ha-lalu anu madlikin,” shimmer in the glow of Hanukkah flames. “Light! These very lights we kindle!” Kindling the flames of the menorah is a ritual of hope. It is, like the torch in the hand of Liberty, a guiding light to the shores of peace. In times when war threatens to rob humanity of our children, and the earth of living creatures, these eight slender flames must illuminate the hope of peace in the community of nations and in our own homes. The lights of Hanukkah give witness to ancient rabbinical and communal strategy of resistance to war and violence through their devotion to the Torah of compassion and an embrace of creative tension in the discussion of ideas that expressed itself as Talmud Torah. Although the Macabees secured the Temple Mount and initiated 100 years of Jewish national sovereignty, an independent Jewish nation could not withstand the onslaught of the Roman Empire. In 70 CE the victory of Hanukkah (in 165 BCE) was overshadowed by the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, and the end of Jewish life that supported priests, a Temple, rituals of animal sacrifice and pilgrimage holy days. The sages of Israel rooted Jewish life in piety, communal acts of kindness, and scholarly existence. They claimed that the nation of Israel could continue to be a light among nations through devotion to the Torah of compassion. Each Israelite was to assume the mantel of ‘priesthood’ through acts of loving kindness, and by transforming our homes and communal spaces into little sanctuaries of hospitality and Jewish ritual practice. Torah and community became our homeland, Sabbaths and holy days our sanctuary, kindling the lights of our holy days our ritual of devotion and joy. Throughout the centuries, Jewish people never wavered in devotion to the Holy Land called eretz yisrael, the home of our ancestors and the birthplace of our life as a people. Even though generation after generation, Jews continued to pilgrimage to holy places, and to live on the land, Torah and mitzvot remained the true the sacred ground of our existence. With the Temple destroyed, the sages of Israel recontextualized the Hanukkah of the Macabees. They used the words of the prophet Zechariah to interpret the true meaning of Hanukkah. “Not by might and not by power, but by ruach/spirit alone shall people be free.” Liberation from violence and oppression, they taught, arises from the practice of the Torah of loving kindness, the cultivation of Talmudic discourse, and devotion to self-examination. Rather than pursuing war, they taught us the necessity of pursuing peace. This is the mitzvah known as ‘rodef shalom.’ How should we celebrate Hanukkah in our day? Like the sages of old, we must learn that militarism and use of deadly force to solve conflicts cannot be a way of life. As we kindle the lights of Hanukkah, we, like the rabbis, should emphasize, not the military victory of the Macabees, but the courage to light a flame for peace in a time of war and violence. But not as a passive and defeated people. Rather, from our position as a nation devoted to becoming a light among the community of nations. How do we become this light? By turning away from methods of conflict solving that involve deadly force, and returning to the cultivation of justice in the seedbed of humanity. We must become ‘rodef shalom’ and actively pursue peace making. How do we actively pursue peace? First, by educating ourselves with reliable sources of information. The second meaning of Hanukkah is education. We need open and curious minds that seek the experience of wise elders and those with long experience in the peacemaking field. Second, as we pursue peace, we should not engage in slandering those who disagree with us. Slandering is lashon harah and considered a major impediment to healthy communal life. Third, we must embrace the tensions inherent in conflict as a normal and healthy part of our existence. Peacemaking does not mean the elimination of conflict. Rather, it means the ability to live creatively within the conflict without resorting to the use of deadly force or Lashon Harah. This requires holistic envisioning. Shalom is a state of well being for every human being in a just society. This Hanukkah, as we place our hanukiah by the doorway or window of our homes as the sun is setting and people are returning home from work, let us pray for peace. As the delicious smell of latkes frying in olive oil gladdens our hearts, let us make a pledge to engage in active peacemaking in our lives in a way that contributes to our own and others wellbeing. Let us remember that the oil is a symbol of Torah’s light, and Torah’s light only shines when it is used to illuminate compassion, justice and peace. RIKUD DANCE COMPANY TO FORM! Dancing is the other wing of the Klezmer revival in our community. This year, as nearly 30 individuals pick up their instruments to play Klezmer music under the guidance of Cantor Beth Cohen, some of us want to pick up our feet and dance along. Calling on 5-10 people with no dance experience needed to become a Jewish folk dance troupe dedicated to Klez dancing. We will learn the Romanian Hora, Hasidls, Bulgars and other forms of Klezmer dancing to form a performance/demonstration core and to have fun on a regular basis. So, if you love to dance and can move your feet or your wheels, join Rabbi Lynn and the Nahalat Shalom Community Klezmer Band, Friday November 1rst at 6:00PM (before Freylech Shabbat during which time we will also dance), and Sundays November 3,10,17 from 2-4 to practice with the Klezmer band and learn the dances. Ages 8 and over welcome to be part. We will dance for the Funky Hanukah Freylech Nov. 23 and the Klezmer weekend Feb 28, March 1,2. November highlights! Freylech Shabbat offers us an opportunity to dance to live music and celebrate Sabbath with community. Please join us so there are as many dancers as musicians! No experience necessary. Wear comfortable dancing shoes and clothes. Nov. 8th. Hershel Weiss will offer the sermon/discussion, “Introduction to Co-counseling and Jewish Liberation Theory. This form of peer counseling has been used as a method of conflict resolution and the development of understanding between groups. It explores the impact of anti-Semitism and assimilation on Jewish identity, as well as ways of creatively embracing Jewish life. Tot Shabbat is for parents and friends of infants and toddlers. Please join us as we prepare for Hanukkah. Community Meeting. Come meet the new board members, as well as new members. The community meeting is a time to deepen our sense of direction and purpose, and to share our involvment with others. Minyan at Nahalat Shalom. Join us for a tradition and meditative Saturday morning service followed by Torah study of the portion of the week. Gershon Winkler is an extraordinary teacher of Jewish tradition. Born and raised in the Orthodox community of New York, his embrace of the flexibility of Jewish tradition caused him to begin a new kind of Jewish life that honored Jewish earth and shamanic traditions and to be in dialogue with other earth based traditions. He also brings his clownishness to bear upon his rendering of Jewish life. Gershon will share his understanding of Shamanic Judiasm during this three week period. | ||||||||
