Rabbi Rachel Gurevitz

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Category: menorah

8th candle: Emanating sparks of light, dispelling darkness

December 18, 2009 /

The 8 blogs of Chanukah. Each night a new blog from the community of Congregation B’nai Israel.

Tonight, the eighth and last blog of Chanukah is brought to you by Rabbi Kinneret Shiryon and Rabbi Nir Barkin of Kehilah YOZMA – the sister congregation of B’nai Israel in Modi’in, Israel.  Yozma means ‘initiative’, and the name of the congregation is also an acronym standing for Yahadut Zmaneinu Moreshet Ha’am, meaning ‘Judaism of our time, heritage of our people’.  You can learn more about the congregation, including ways of supporting the community, here.

We welcomed the month of Kislev at YOZMA with an intensive study weekend in the northern part of Israel focused on the subject of “Understanding the different approaches to Faith and Belief in Judaism” Kislev is the month dedicated to the celebration of light! It comes at a time when the days are the shortest and the nights are the longest in the calendar year. The lighting of the Chanukah candles reminds us of the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and the amazing victory of the Jewish people over the tyranny of the Syrian ‐ Greek rule. Light brings a sense of clarity, joy and warmth into our lives. Light is a universal symbol of hope and faith.

At one of the workshops we participated in an exercise in painting. The exercise demanded of us to work with the concepts of light and darkness. It was a fascinating experience for all of us. We learned that darkness descends from the margins into the center and that light radiates out from the center towards the margins. When we think about the movement of light in this way and apply it to the spiritual and emotional realms of our lives we can begin to understand our potential for rekindling light into our darkest moments. When we observe the margins carefully we can try to recognize what outside influences cause the darkness to descend upon us and respond appropriately. And then once we realize that we have the ability to spark light from our inner self ‐ from our own center ‐ we can illuminate brand new regions of our daily lives.

In chapter 2 of the Midrash Pesikta Rabbati, (a collection of stories and explanations of the festivals and other special occasions) we learn that: “There are seven dedications that have been achieved by light : The creation of the world by moonlight, the Tabernacle and two Temples by the seven‐branched menorah, the festival of the Maccabees by the eight‐branched menorah, the walls of Jerusalem by torches, and the millennium by the sevenfold light of the sun”.

Let us suggest an additional dedication making the grand total of eight to parallel the eight days we celebrate Chanukah: As we the members of YOZMA light our chanukiot this year – with the awareness that our many friends and supporters will also be lighting their chanukiot across the sea – together, let us all dedicate ourselves to finding that inner light that shines in our centers and bring it forth into the world.  How so very bright our days will be…

Chag Urim Sameach – Happy Chanukah!
Rabbi Kinneret Shiryon and Rabbi Nir Barkin


5th candle: Raise it up!

December 15, 2009 /


The 8 blogs of Chanukah. Each night a new blog from the community of Congregation B’nai Israel.


Tonight, the fourth blog of Chanukah is brought to you by Rabbi David Nelson.  Rabbi Nelson will be our scholar-in-residence, March 19-20, 2009.  He is Rabbi and Visiting Assistant Professor of Religion at Bard College. He is a Fellow at CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and was the Associate Director of ARZA, the Association of Reform Zionists of America. He is the author of Judaism, Physics and God: Searching for Sacred Metaphors in a Post-Einstein World, published by Jewish Lights.

You probably know that each night we light a Hannukah menorah (also called a Hannukiyah in Hebrew), we light one candle the first night, two the second night, three the third night, and so on. But you probably don’t know the origin of this practice. In the early days of the period of the Talmud (that is, the first few centuries of the Common Era), there was a dispute between two groups of rabbis, one called Beit Hillel and the other called Beit Shammai. Beit Shammai held that the proper procedure was to light eight lights the first night, and to decrease by one light on each successive night of the holiday, while Beit Hillel claimed that we should start with one light on the first night and increase by one each night until all eight are burning on the last night. As we know, Beit Hillel won the argument, and theirs is the procedure that we follow. But the question is “why?” 

Beit Shammai based their ruling on a similarity that they saw between Hannukah and the festival of Sukkot (Booths – the harvest festival that we celebrated earlier in the fall). The law required that 70 animals be sacrificed in the Temple during Sukkot, starting with 13 on the first day and decreasing by one each day (so 12 on the second day, 11 on the third, and so on). Beit Hillel based their view on a general Jewish principle that we may increase in holiness, but we may not decrease.  

This general principle, which we see in clear, visual terms as the nights of Hannukah progress, strikes me as a wise rule for life in general. Each of us holds dear something that we consider “sacred.”  It may not be something “religious” in the traditional sense. It could be the love we feel for those close to us, or the passion we have for learning, or the commitment we have to improve the state of our world. The principle articulated by Beit Hillel directs us always to increase the amount of that holiness in our lives.

Whatever it is that we care most about, we should always try to do more of it in the future than we have done in the past.

3rd candle: What if the world were a Hanukiyah or maybe a salad?

December 13, 2009 /




The 8 blogs of Chanukah. Each night a new blog from the community of Congregation B’nai Israel.


Tonight, the third blog of Chanukah is brought to you by Andrea Rudolph.  Andrea is a member of B’nai Israel.  She is a regular at Friday night services, playing clarinet in the B’nai Israel band, and often playing solo instrument at other services.  Andrea is also a composer, as you’ll learn from her blog tonight.  Among her many projects and talents, Andrea is teaching a course at B’nai Israel, beginning January 4th, The Holiness of Wholeness: Exploring God and Ourselves, about the attributes of the soul.  She also co-leads Chantsformations: a Jewish mantra chanting and meditation hour each month at the Soma Center for Well-Being, with Rabbi Gurevitz.  Her husband, Mike, is the leader of the B’nai Israel band.  They have two children, Benjamin and Jacob.


When my boys were in elementary school, one of the highlights of December was their winter concert.  My younger son played trombone in the band and my older son played violin in the orchestra.  Even more than seeing my own children on stage, I loved hearing the fifth grade choir sing their hearts out.  I was taken by the vision of eighty – ten and eleven year olds inspiring peace and holiday cheer with their voices, choreography and spirit.  “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me”, the children crooned while images of people from around the world flashed on a screen behind them.  Tears always fall from my eyes when I see and hear children singing about peace.  Seeing them united in song and celebration gives me hope for our world and opens my heart. 
A few years ago, motivated by the vision of young people united by music, I wrote a Chanukah song called Nine Candles.  It started with this image of a Hanukiyah (the Chanukah menorah): 
What if the world was a Hanukiyah,
Red and green,
Blue and white?
What if each candle
Spread warmth and light,
Joy and peace,
Banished anger and spite?
What would the world be like if we saw ourselves linked together – distinct yet united with a common purpose to shed more light in the world?  There’s a human flaw of ego that believes that peace will come by convincing others to believe as we believe.  But that belief is based on the assumption that differences prevent us from achieving a greater purpose.   But there are many experiences that teach us otherwise.
Years ago, I worked with a woman who challenged my understanding of unity and the “melting pot” myth we hold so dear in our country.  Mary was a brilliant, energetic executive director of an agency that worked with refugees and immigrants.  She had a passion for justice that took her from Haiti to Macedonia to the State Capitol in the 1990’s.  When I first met Mary, I couldn’t quite figure out her ethnicity.  (Why we so often have a need to “figure someone out” is another conversation but in this case I learned a lesson which changed my perspective forever.)  After working with Mary for a few weeks, I found myself attending a meeting with her.  As we walked back to the office after the meeting, we explored the subject of immigrant integration and assimilation to American culture.  My initial belief (at that time) was that the more cultures interacted and even intermarried, the more likely it would be for peace to prevail on earth.  “Wouldn’t peace be more likely if the boundaries of separation between countries, cultures, people and religions blurred?”, I wondered out loud. 
Mary presented me with an image:  “Imagine you were making a beautiful salad.  You put the lettuce in a large bowl.  Then you add cucumbers and carrots, celery and tomatoes.  You mix in some red onion and croutons for more flavor, spice and crunch.  Then you make a nice dressing, pour it on top and toss…..Now imagine if I told you take that same salad and put it in a blender, what would your salad look like now? How would it taste?”  I remember stopping mid-stride on a Boston sidewalk to let it sink in.  Then she looked at me and said, “My mother is a white Irish American woman, my father was Filipino.  They met during the war years ago.  Each of those pieces of who I am makes up my own salad.  By diluting, denying or blending any culture for the sake of assimilation, we lose the rich, crispy, color and taste of that “salad”.  That’s not the kind of world I want to live in.”

Many years later, I can look back on that conversation and see how it has impacted my perspective on diversity and creating bridges of understanding.  I have learned that it is indeed the uniqueness of each person that inspires and connects us to the whole of humanity.  Our power to influence peace and change in the world is most effective when we both shine our own light and admire someone else’s.  Standing proudly next to someone else linked by the common goal of humanity  (just as the candles in the Hanukiyah stand next to one another in remembrance of the miracle of Chanukah), we can learn to live fully with joy, purpose and compassion.   Who determines joy, purpose and compassion?  It rests with each of us to discern which vegetable we are in that salad, or which color candle in that Hanukiyah.  
In the words of Martha Graham,
There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost.
May you always stand ready and proud to shine your unique light into the world, adding to the beauty and magnificence of all creation.  Many blessings for a season filled with light, peace and compassion. 


Listen to Andrea’s song, ‘Nine Candles’ below:


2nd candle: Tuning in to the Spirit of the holiday

December 12, 2009 /




The 8 blogs of Chanukah. Each night a new blog from the community of Congregation B’nai Israel.


Tonight, the second blog of Chanukah is brought to you by Laura Lehrhaupt.  Laura is a member of B’nai Israel, married to Michael (who is a regular on acoustic guitar with the B’nai Israel Band), with 3 children, Madison (one of our teenage cantorial soloists), Reuben, and Zoe.  Laura is a recent, wonderful addition to our Board of Trustees.

I have a menorah collection. It was started for me when my grandmother went on one of her trips to Israel and brought them back. That was at least fifteen years ago. Now my collection has doubled in size. Out of this collection came a great family tradition. Every night of Hannukah each one of my family members lights their own menorah. We all have our favorites. 

My daughter Zoe loves the menorah with the ceramic children on it. 
Madison often choses the penguin menorah. 
Reuben loves the little rabbi menorah. 
My husband always uses the one he brought with him from his childhood before we were married. I, of course, chose one from Israel.



What is so extraordinary is the light that shines from these menorahs is always so beautiful. It illuminates the entire room. It got me thinking about what the flame represents in our jewish traditions. Several prayers and many rituals refer to the flame being representative of our spirit or the soul of a beloved deceased friend or family member. I always loved the prayer at the beginning of the song “Papa can you hear me” from Yentl.

May the light of this flickering candle
Illuminate the night
the way your spirit illuminates my soul.

Someoneʼs spirit is not tangible. We canʼt literally see a spirit. We experience someoneʼs spirit. Like the heat from the flame. It warms us and surrounds us. It lights up the dark spaces and gives us a sense of comfort. Someone elseʼs spirit makes us experience another dimension not easily put into words. It is quick, powerful and usually you know when you encounter it. How many times have you thought to yourself “ What an amazing spirit!”

So this Hannukah, as we light all the candles on each of our menorahs, I am going to remember the wonderful people my family has had the honor of knowing. Of the people
who have added light and warmth to our home and given us gifts beyond any that can be bought. We will sing our original rendition of Hannukah songs as we watch the candles melt down to the end. Then I will clean out the wax and make room for more candles, more phenomenal spirits who will enrich our lives

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