Rabbi

As the days get shorter and the fall gives way to winter, we once again turn our minds to the festival of Chanukah. Despite what many think, Chanukah isn’t a minor holiday.  I believe that Chanukah is a major holiday central to Jewish life and history. 

A 1990 Council of Jewish Federations’ national Jewish population study concluded that 77% of all Jewish homes light Chanukah candles. No doubt, part of Chanukah’s popularity derives from that fact that it occurs in December. But that is not why Chanukah is a major holiday.  It is not l timing that makes this celebration unique but the messages it teaches.

Chanukah represents the first victory in human history of religious freedom.  Chanukah should not be celebrated by Jews alone; it should be a universal holiday for religious freedom.  Were it not for the Hasmonean victory, Judaism as we know it would not have survived.  If Judaism had died out in 166 B.C.E., not only would there be no Jews; there would be no Christians or Moslems.  What would have happened if the Maccabees had lost out to the Hellenists?  What would the religious complexion of the world be like today if the only monotheists in the entire world had been wiped out?

Jews, Christians and Moslems should celebrate together the very fact that our respective religions exist, thanks to Chanukah.

The festival of Chanukah reminds us of the need to respect each other despite our differences.  All Jews have much in common – more than we generally recognize – and all religious people share much more in common than we realize. 

Chanukah reinforces the faith of the minority to stand up for its principles.  Sometimes, it is an overwhelming task for the Jew to maintain Judaism in a secular world.  Why be Jewish?  Why be different?  The lighting of the menorah reinforces our ability to stand up for our beliefs and have the courage to think and act accordingly.  Chanukah also provides us with the opportunity to study what is unique and holy about our tradition.

Chanukah challenges us to face redemption in modern history.  In our time, we have witnessed the largest exodus of Jews since the Exodus from Egypt – some 600,000 Jews of the former Soviet Union made their way to Israel, and we have successfully rescued the Jews of Ethiopia, Syria and Bosnia.  We must forever be ready to help Jews who are in danger and distress or suffer from oppression or persecution wherever they live.  We must deliver the few from the many, the weak from the mighty and the righteous from the wicked.

Let’s celebrate Chanukah for the right reasons and avoid what detracts from its essence.  The battle of Chanukah has been fought in each generation.  As Rabbi Irving Greenberg has written, “It is our task to fight – through joy, tradition, family life, through hope and realistic dreams, through partial solutions and visionary persistence.  Pessimists and assimilationists have told us that we have no more oil to burn, that we must surrender to the darkness. Judaism teaches that is better to light one candle than curse the darkness.”  Chanukah sameach.

 

Sources: My thanks to Rabbi Paul Kerbel for ideas and insights for this message.

There are pivotal moments in the history of organizations that dramatically alter their destination, and Shaare Zedek Congregation is no exception. Ours occurred in September of 2001 when after an exhaustive rabbinical search, we were fortunate to engage Rabbi Alan W. Bright as our spiritual leader.

Rabbi Bright brings with him an intellect and a philosophy of inclusiveness that have allowed us to welcome and embrace individuals from all aspects of our community and reach out for many who have found a home in our Synagogue. While some may be attracted by the eloquence and compassion he exhibits at life cycle events, for us at Shaare Zedek it is the concern and commitment he has for our entire synagogue family.

Our Rabbi has also made a substantial contribution to the broader community, including but certainly not limited to, his leadership roles with March of the Living and the Board of Rabbi’s, and his bridge building with other cultural groups.

The relationships he establishes play an important role towards ensuring that Shaare Zedek maintains a vibrant and viable presence in the Montreal Jewish Community.

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