Tonight, as the sun sets, we light the Chanukah menorah and begin our festival of light, the celebration of religious freedom.
And, today, we enjoy a wide variety of choices for Chanukah celebration. Yes, our favorite Jewish artists still produce holiday albums for others’ religious festivals. I guess that’s what some mean when they talk about the spirit of giving, but this modern era also produces a wealth of resources for our own festival season.
Just as we each prefer our latkes in the manner to which we have become accustomed, the offerings for Chanukah also appeal to varied tastes. I plan to highlight a few possibilities throughout the holiday and I invite you to add comments with your favorite suggestions.
Here’s a new one…
With the emergence of YouTube and the growing trove of videos, each year we discover a new gem or two. Rabbi Laura found this one and it’s fun...
There’s an app for that…
When I was little, there was an actual dial on the telephone which was connected by a cord to the wall and I remember one brand of Chanukah candles.
Today, we have GPS chips in our cell phones to find them when we forgot which pocket we left them in and those amazing little devices do so much that I often have to think for a moment to remember how to make a phone call.
If you’re stuck somewhere without your Chanukah menorah or in a place where you can’t light a match, you can easily download an app and simulate the festive candles right there on your favorite mobile device. In a quick search, I found dozens of Chanukah apps of which, I admit, I have not yet downloaded one. Anyway, here’s just one of the various virtual menorahs...
We’ve been decking the halls since before Halloween with the accompanying onslaught of holiday music. My favorite local radio station went all holiday weeks ago and, suffice it to say, it’s not the holiday of my choice. However, I didn’t have to look far for balance. The customizable internet radio site, Pandora Radio, already offers a Hanukkah station. (That’s their spelling.)
Season of Giving
While I am fully aware that Chanukah has become a gift-giving extravaganza in modern, American culture, that tradition does not reach back through the generations of this festival. Many of us like to give, so I’ll highlight a few options. As we’re still enjoying the glow of URJ’s Biennial, I’ll suggest a URJ fund to start. According to the URJ website: “The Union for Reform Judaism Annual Campaign provides funding for much of the Union’s creative programming and helps insure the continued growth and strength of the Reform Movement. The annual campaign provides close to 10 percent of the Union’s operating budget and supports many activities, including:
- URJ’s 13 resident camps
- The North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY)
- Leadership Development and Congregational Consulting
- Lifelong Jewish Learning and Ten Minutes of Torah
- Social Action - The Religious Action Center (RAC)”
We continue to benefit from URJ’s resources. Consider supporting our Reform Movement.
...and Happy Chanukah!
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