By Betzy Lynch
LA JOLLA, California — About 2,000 years ago, Jews lived in Judea, the Land of Israel, with a vibrant community in Jerusalem, the center of religious and political life. At the time, Judea was under the rule of the Seleucid Greeks, who banned many Jewish practices, including observing Shabbat, keeping kosher, and studying Torah. Over the years, Jews resisted these decrees and attempted to rebel. Hanukkah commemorates the revolt led by the Maccabees against the Seleucid Greeks, who had occupied the land and desecrated the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Maccabees, a small band of Jewish fighters, used every resource they had and ultimately defeated the empire’s soldiers. They reclaimed the Temple and immediately set out to restore it. When they went to relight the menorah, the seven-branched lamp symbolizing God’s presence, they found only one small jar of pure oil, enough for a single day. And yet, as the legend goes, the oil burned for eight days, giving them time to clean, repair, and rededicate the Temple.
The word Hanukkah (no matter how you choose to spell it) literally means “dedication.” Although it’s considered a relatively minor holiday in the Jewish calendar, it is widely observed, even by Jews who identify more culturally than religiously. Perhaps that’s because there’s no requirement to attend synagogue for Hanukkah. The irony is delicious: a holiday celebrating the rededication of the Temple does not require you to step foot in one. Why? Many reasons. Probably worth a conversation another time.
Around the world, Hanukkah celebrations share common elements, lighting the hanukkiah, spinning dreidels, enjoying fried foods. But in North America, gift-giving has become a beloved tradition, one not typically found elsewhere. Many reasons for that too. Another conversation for another time.
Still, the essence remains universal: honoring miracles large and small, bringing light into a world that can feel very dark, and remembering that a small group of determined people can change the course of history.
The first candle of Hanukkah will be lit on the evening of December 14. Like most Jewish holidays, it begins after sundown and shifts dates each year on the Gregorian calendar. Many reasons for that, also a conversation for another time. At the J, we’ll celebrate with a major Hanukkah Happening Bash, including the Festival of Lights Run and the 25th Anniversary Shalom Baby Bash. It’s a party for everyone, and we hope you’ll join the celebration.
But this year, Hanukkah must be more than a party, more than latkes and vodka, more than donuts and dreidels. We have reached a moment in contemporary Jewish life that calls us to rededicate ourselves to being proudly Jewish. To own and elevate our rituals and traditions. To embrace the particular beauty of Judaism in a world that is overwhelmingly something else. This means learning, or relearning, what Jewish life truly is, and recognizing that our heritage is far richer than a few funny Yiddish words and a good bagel with lox. Judaism is an ancient, time-tested guide for living a purposeful, meaningful modern life.
I’ve been thinking about this idea of rededication for months. It began with a recent survey of San Diego PJ Library parents assessing how they use PJ resources to engage their children in Judaism. When asked what support they need but don’t currently have, more than 85% responded, “We don’t know how to start and continue conversations with our children about antisemitism.”
That landed heavily. Here we are again, trying to explain to our children why people hate Jews. And it makes sense that many parents don’t feel equipped, no one had these conversations with them. Not because their parents were afraid, but because they thought they wouldn’t need to. And so we return to an ancient cycle: not fighting battles like the Maccabees (unless you live in Israel), but doing the North American diaspora version, rededicating ourselves to recognizing miracles, bringing light into darkness, and finding courage in the knowledge that small groups, and even individuals, can make a profound difference and now it is our turn.
On Tuesday, December 9, Fran Forman, Senior Director of Early Childhood Education and Programs, and I will host the first in a series of sessions called Reading for Resilience. This interactive workshop for parents of children ages 4–10 will offer practical tools, recommended books, and thoughtful guidance to support a child’s sense of identity and belonging, an essential foundation for addressing antisemitism today. The session is free and open to the public, with attendance capped at 25 participants to ensure an intimate, engaging experience. I hope you’ll join us, or encourage someone you care about to attend.
I look forward to the joy and radiance of Hanukkah. With just a few weeks to go, consider making a second list, right alongside your shopping list. This one is for all the Jewish experiences you want to try, revisit, or bring back into your life as we all rededicate ourselves to the miracle of the Jewish people this Hanukkah.
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Betzy Lynch is the CEO of the Lawrence Family JCC.